


Not a Choice

by heyoh_its_abbyoh



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Ahsoka Tano, Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Post-Zygerria Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars), Rex is a softy, Zygerria Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:07:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28826433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyoh_its_abbyoh/pseuds/heyoh_its_abbyoh
Summary: After Ahsoka returned from Zygerria, everything was different for her. She was not the same person she was before.Ahsoka is aged up to be 19 instead of the 16 she was in the Zygerria arc.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 26
Kudos: 154





	1. A Day of Confession

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> T/W: There are mentions of Rape in this chapter.

Zygerria was a cruel, evil place. Rex knew that before the Generals, the Commander, and himself even arrived on the Maker forsaken planet. He wasn’t Force sensitive like his companions, but he could feel the hatred and pain the planet held.

  
Ahsoka hated the planet before they ever landed. She hated the plan. She hated the blue, silky garb Anakin told her she had to wear. Obi-Wan told her that they tried to find something a little less revealing, but that was what the council provided. Typical.

  
Anakin hated everything that Zygerria stood for. The slave trade was not new to him. He hated those slavers with a passion that he shouldn’t have. The warm anger deep within his chest felt a little too dark to be justified. He would have to examine that anger later.

  
Obi-Wan was tired. Very, kriffing, tired. They spent two days on Coruscant preparing to travel to Zygerria, and that wasn’t near long enough to prepare himself after the beating he endured. Somehow, he knew that what he endured was nothing compared to what he would endure in the following days and weeks.

  
“Master, I don’t understand why I have to be the slave! Why can’t you or Master Obi-Wan be the slave? Or even Rex, for that matter!” Ahsoka argued. Rex looked up from where he was adjusting the Zygerrian armor he had to wear as a cover. It took everything in him not to drop his jaw in amazement. She looked- well. She looked kriffing beautiful.

  
“Snips, I tried being a slave once. Didn’t work out. Besides, no one would want to buy Obi-Wan. He’s gotten soft in his old age,” Anakin quipped, elbowing his former master in the side. The older Jedi merely rolled his eyes, giving Ahsoka a small smile of apology. The Torguta was rather annoyed. She walked over to where Rex was sitting, and plopped herself down next to him. Rex smirked at her indignation.

  
“Rexster, your costume is far more appealing than this stupid thing. There is nowhere for my lightsabers. I don’t mind dressing up, but the jewels and headpiece feels a bit much,” she complained. “Is the kriffing thing even on straight? Sometimes I have difficulty reaching my montrals.”

  
Ahsoka faced him, big blue eyes looking into his brown. The headpiece that sat on her montrals was actually crooked, or so he told himself. Gently, he reached up, straightening the headpiece, his hands brushing her skin. It took everything in him for Rex not to continue his hands down her montrals to her face and caress the white markings.

  
“Looks good, Commander,” he managed to say, giving her a wry smile, noticing his hands had moved to holding her shoulders. Quickly, he removed them. She gave him a small one in return before leaning back in to the wall behind them. Ahsoka could feel how close they were to each other. She could still feel his hands on her arms.

  
“I can’t help but feel that something is going to go terribly wrong when we get there. Maybe I’m just nervous because of this ridiculous get up, but rarely is my intuition wrong.” Ahsoka’s brow markings furrowed together.

  
“I’m sure everything will go fine, sir. If you’ll excuse me.” Rex got up and went to check in with the Generals and get further instruction. That’s what he would say if anyone asked. Really, it was so he wouldn’t burst from trying not to look at Ahsoka.

  
The four of them got separated on the first day of the mission. No big deal. But then Rex was separated from General Kenobi. He was able to escape from the guards, but the General was not as fortunate. The slave auction was where everything went south. General Kenobi looked like bantha shit. Ahsoka was no where to be found as far as Rex could see. General Skywalker had far too many whips wrapped around him to be healthy. As did General Kenobi. There was a higher pitched shout that he heard right before Rex himself succumbed to the whips and unconsciousness.

  
“Ahsoka!” He called out, reaching out as everything turned black.

  
It was 11 days before Ahsoka and the General came to their aid. Eleven days of hard labor. Eleven days of seeing the spark slowly fade from General Kenobi’s ocean blue eyes. Eleven days of whips and other forms of punishment. Eleven days of worrying whether or not Ahsoka was okay. Eleven days of wishing that he would make it out alive. Eleven karking days.  
Rex was surprised he has enough strength to send the spear through the slaver like he did. General- Obi-Wan (he insisted that Rex call him by his given name due to the circumstances) laughed and shook his head when he said “I’m no Jedi.” Rex could tell he’d get hell from the General for awhile for that snarky quip.

  
When they were back on the Resolute, Ahsoka had been refusing medical treatment. Kix was fuming when she told him off and stormed out of the medbay. She felt fine. The burns were healing fine on their own. While her lekku had been cut, it was better not to touch them and let them be. The finger shaped bruises would heal on their own.

  
She didn’t want to talk about the other injuries she sustained. Maybe they weren’t injuries, exactly. But it hurt when it happened. Those men, those MONSTERS, were not gentle. They were not loving like those holofilms Padmé and her would watch when Anakin was on a secret mission. They weren’t kind like a lover should be.

  
When they were saved and had returned to Coruscant to heal and debrief, Anakin had asked her if something else had happened. Ahsoka tried to convince him that she was fine. But the trembling in her hand and her flinches when Anakin or Obi-Wan touched her were deceptive.

  
Then the panic attacks came. Six weeks after the mission on Zygerria, Ahsoka was in the greenhouse of the Temple, enjoying the clean air and the calming presence of the exotic flora. She tried to meditate, but complete calm never found her. She tried to deepen her breathing, but it kept getting shallower and shallower. Her mind kept finding itself back on Zygerria. She could feel the hands back on her lekku. Hot, rank breath on her neck. Splitting pain between her legs.

  
Soon she found herself crying, gasping for breath. Ahsoka clawed at an imaginary hand that was keeping her from breathing fully. Ahsoka stood from where she was meditating, and stumbled through the greenhouse. Her legs took her to the balcony across from one of the classrooms. The fresh and open air helped, but the trembling in her hands wouldn’t stop.

  
“Ahsoka? Are you alright?” A voice asked. Ahsoka spun around, completely startled. She relaxed slightly when she saw that it was Obi-Wan.

  
“Yes, Master, of course,” she forced out. Ahsoka hoped that it was convincing and that her grandmaster would leave her be. But he joined her by her side, giving her enough space to not feel crowded. He looked at her with cerulean eyes, concern marking his face.

  
“Don’t lie to me, Ahsoka. I know you. Anakin may be your master, but you’ve always been my little girl. Tell me what is wrong,” Obi-Wan implored. It was true. Obi-Wan almost requested to have Ahsoka as a Padawan, but his attachment to the young Togruta would have been bad for a good master.

  
Ahsoka contemplated for a moment, furrowing her bottom lip between teeth. The shaking in her hands seemed to subside with Obi-Wan close. Sighing, she nodded. It would be best to tell him before Anakin. If she told Anakin.

  
“When we were on Zygerria, I was taken captive by the prime minister. He told me I was the most beautiful Jedi he ever met.” Ahsoka stopped, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Taking a deep breath, sending her anxiety to the Force, she continued. “His friends, they came to visit him. And me. They drugged me, spice I think, and I was helpless. Electric shock and- and-“ Ahsoka buried her face in her hands, giving up sending her feelings to the Force.

  
She couldn’t tell, but Obi-Wan’s face showed a look of horror and absolute sadness. For a moment, anger as well. “Oh, ‘Soka,” he sighed, moving his hands to hold her, but thinking better of it.

  
Ahsoka turned to him and he opened his arms, offering himself to her. She took the offer gladly, burying her face in his cloak. The smell of Obi-Wan, like a forest and just the hint of whiskey, was comforting to her. A gentle hand stroked her sensitive back lekku, soothing her even more.

  
“I’m so sorry, my dear. We have failed you by letting that mission happen the way it did. I’m so, so sorry,” Obi-Wan whispered, keeping her tight to his chest. “Have you told Anakin?”  
Obi-Wan could feel her shake her head in disagreement. He tried to keep his sigh to himself. It wasn’t going to be pretty telling Anakin about this. Then an unfortunate thought came to his mind. She couldn’t be. Couldn’t possibly be pregnant. She was still young for a togruta to become with child. He banished the thought from his head and continued to hold his grandpadawan. His little girl.

* * *

  
“Rexy, old boy, where is our commander? We haven’t seen her in forever! What did you do? Scare her off?” Fives laughed, slapping his captain on the back. Rex merely shrugged. He hadn’t seen Ahsoka since before the Zygerria mission. He knew it went badly for her and she hadn’t been hurt, but the few times he saw her in passing, she looked different. Not physically. Everything was the same. But she looked as if there was a heavier weight on her chest. The bright blue in her eyes had been dimmed.

  
“Couldn’t tell you, Fives. I haven’t seen her either.”

  
“Think she’s alright?” Kix asked. He looked concerned for their commander.

Rex set his cup of caf down. “I’m not sure, Kix. I’m not sure.” And he was going to find out.

  
The boys of the 501st were on leave for another week, having been given 7 weeks of leave after Zygerria to recover mentally from Umbarra. For that they were grateful. They had time to go to 79s. They could travel the city with the little credits they had.But Rex wasn’t one to party or spend money frivolously. He had been training his muscles back up after losing muscle tone in Zygerria. When Rex had returned, the boys commented on how much he looked like a shiny. Small and frightened. After Kix yelled at them, they stopped, giving their captain space to heal.  
Rex decided he would take a walk to the Temple to see if Ahsoka was there. If not, he’d go to the market near by. There was always some sort of festival going on. A clone there was never the strangest thing.

  
As he approached the temple, he saw Ahsoka walking out. He noticed that she noticed him, so he raised his arm in greeting. She gave him a small smile.

  
“Commander,” he nodded at her. Ahsoka gave him a small smile.

  
“Captain Rex,” she continued. The two of them began to walk around the block in silent companionship before Rex couldn’t hold his tongue any longer.

  
“How are you doing, sir?” He blurted out. Ahsoka’s shoulders stiffened. “You’ve seemed distracted lately.”

  
“I’m alright. Tired, but alright. How are you Rex? You look much better than when you returned from Zygerria.”

  
“I’m doing alright, sir. I’m getting back to the shape I was before the mission.”

  
Ahsoka nodded, giving him a small smile. Rex’s heart skipped a beat when she smiled at him. They walked around the Temple and the neighborhood it was in for almost two hours, occasionally commenting on the different oddities they would see. At some point, Ahsoka had linked her arm in with Rex’s. Then, Ahsoka stopped.

  
“Coruscant is beautiful in the evening. But not nearly as beautiful as Shili,” she sighed. Rex looked down at her, his eyes meeting hers.

  
“I thought you were a young child when the Jedi took you in,” he mused.

  
“I was. But Master Plo would take me to my homeworld when the younglings were on a break. We would spend a few days helping out the more impoverished villages. The sunsets were the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Ahsoka kept her eyes meeting Rex’s. The arm linked in his own left and she gently traced the outline of his jaw. Unbeknownst to him, he leaned in to her touch.

  
“I- I’m sorry, Captain. That was unprofessional of me,” Ahsoka startled, pulling her hand and body away from Rex. He kicked himself inside his head. The use of formal address didn’t bode well for him. Ahsoka never called him Captain unless he made her mad or they were in front of members of the Council.

  
“The fault is mine, sir. We should make our way back to the Temple, Commander,” Rex commented, tension in his shoulders. She nodded, and they began their walk back to the Temple, nearly a meter between them. A heavy silence sat on their shoulders.

  
When they arrived, Rex gave her a small nod and left. Ahsoka gave a forced smile. She turned to enter the building, but she felt a hand on her shoulder, panic rising in her chest. She turned around, hand on her saber. Ahsoka saw it was just Rex, guilt flooding her face.

  
“Ahsoka, are you alright?” He asked, stepping back. Ahsoka felt her breathing become more erratic, her feet frozen on the sidewalk. “Ahsoka?”  
Her hands once again had a tremor to them, her body becoming cold and hot all at the same time. Images of unwanted hands on her body flooding her senses.  
“Go, Rex,” she grimaced out, tears forming in her eyes. “Just leave. Please.”

  
Unsure of what to do, he stood in place.

  
“Go! Leave me be!” She cried, a little louder. Rex took that as his cue. He left Ahsoka, seeing her all but fall against the wall of the building, her sobs she tried to hide escaping her.  
Whatever happened in Zygerria was clearly bothering her more than she would care to admit. Rex would soon talk to General Skywalker.

* * *

  
Hands everywhere. Hot, putrid breath. Men fighting over who would degrade her next. Whips on her back when she tried to fight them. A needle in her neck as they injected her with spice. Men crushing her body with their weight. Beautiful silk clothes ripped from her body.

  
Brown eyes, the eyes of a clone. Gentle hands adjusting a headdress. Rex. His arm linked in hers. The smell of armor polish and caf.  
The brown eyes melt into angry yellow ones. Atai Molec.

  
Snap out of it, Ahsoka.

  
“Snips, are you okay? Snips? Ahsoka?” She heard her master call to her. “Ahsoka! Ahsoka please listen to me.”

  
Ahsoka removed her head from between her knees and took big, gasping breaths to stop her sobbing. Anakin was kneeling next to her on the ground next to the Temple. His blue eyes were full of worry.

  
“Ahsoka, what’s wrong? What happened?” Anakin put his real hand in hers, stroking it with his thumb.

  
“Anakin, can we go see Obi-Wan. He’ll be able to help,” she replied weakly. Anakin nodded, helping her to her feet. He pulled his padawan into a gentle embrace, running a soothing hand down her back lekku, just like Obi-Wan had.

  
Obi-Wan grimaced when he saw the pair at his door. It was night, Ahsoka had a distant look to her eyes, and Anakin was pacing.  
“I’ll put on some tea.” Obi-Wan knew it was going to be a long night.

* * *

  
“Little one, drink some of the tea. It’ll help calm your nerves. I promise,” Obi-Wan murmured, placing a steaming cup of a soothing herbal into Ahsoka’s hands. Anakin was sitting across from her, robotic leg bouncing nervously.

  
“Anakin, you need to be patient with her. This isn’t something that will be easy for her to talk about. I only know because I found her earlier today. She isn’t doing well,” the older Jedi explained, placing a calming hand on his friend’s shoulder.

  
Anakin took a deep breath, trying to find calm in the Force. Obi-Wan patted his friend on the back, and left the two to talk alone. He would be in the next room over in case Ahsoka needed him. The Jedi sent a small prayer to the Maker and to the Force to grant Ahsoka the strength she would need to talk to Anakin.

  
“Snips, what’s going on? You haven’t been yourself for weeks. Not since Zygerria,” Anakin started out.

  
“Anakin, when I was captured, they gave me to Molec Atai. He told me I was the prettiest Jedi he had seen. His friends came and visited him and- and they used me. I’m a Jedi, I should have been able to stop them, but I couldn’t. He drugged me with spice and used his whips. Anakin, I couldn’t stop them,” Ahsoka rushed out. She looked as if it had taken all of her strength to say that much.

  
“Ahsoka, I’m so sorry. I have failed you in the worst possible way.” Anakin’s eyes were full of unshed tears.

  
“Padme told me that if I ever wanted to, she said that it wouldn’t hurt. But it did, Anakin. It hurt!” Ahsoka began to stumble over her words as tears fell from her eyes. Anakin pulled his padawan close to his chest, letting her sob. “Am I going to be removed from the Order because of this?” A small voice asked. A flash of anger pulsed through Anakin.

  
“No, Ahsoka. You will not. You didn’t choose to have this happen to you. It wasn’t your fault. If the Council wants to have you removed from the Order, then I will leave as well. You don’t deserve that,” he exclaimed firmly, squeezing Ahsoka tighter.

  
“What if I’m-” Ahsoka stopped herself.

  
“What if you’re what, Ahsoka?” Anakin asked, fearing the worst.

  
“What if I’m pregnant? Will they kick me out then?” Ahsoka whispered, her words barely making it to Anakin’s ears. Her master’s heart broke into thousands of little shards for his padawan. Anakin closed his eyes, willing the Force for it to not be so. But he knew that he couldn’t control even that.

  
Ahsoka broke away from the older Jedi’s embrace, pacing the floor. She picked up her now cold cup of tea, holding it so her hands would shake. Obi-Wan re-entered the room. He gave her a small, sad smile of encouragement. Obi-Wan was like his old master. He was strong in the Life Force. The area of the Force that could sense organic things. Whether they were living, dying, or being created. Obi-Wan took the cup from the young Togruta’s hands, and set it down, replacing the cup with his hands.

  
“Ahsoka, you will not be removed from the Order if you find yourself with child. I swear to it. If you believe that you could have possibly gotten into that situation, Anakin and I will help you,” he soothed. Ahsoka was starting to visibly calm down. “The only thing we need to know right now is whether or not you know what species could have, well, done it.”

  
As loathe as Anakin was to admit it, Obi-Wan was much better at dealing with situations such as these than he was. Obi-Wan knew that only a human or another Togruta could possibly impregnate Ahsoka. That was just how Togrutan anatomy worked. Anakin prayed that Ahsoka didn’t know that, so perhaps good news could be given to her.

  
“Human. It would only be a human. Zygerrians aren’t, well, built that way.”

  
Anakin’s heart dropped to his stomach. Obi-Wan felt bile rise in his chest. Things were about to get much more complicated for their little padawan. “Alright. Thank you, Ahsoka, for trusting us with this information. I think that is enough talking for tonight, yes?” Obi-Wan continued. Both Ahsoka and her master nodded, standing to leave. “You don’t have to leave if you two do not wish to return back to your rooms. My bed is big enough for three, remember?”

  
When Ahsoka was barely old enough to be a padawan, Obi-Wan and Anakin would comfort the young girl by sharing Obi-Wan’s large blankets and bed. Ahsoka was like a daughter to Obi-Wan, and Anakin was a brother to her. When the younger two Jedi had nightmares or just simply couldn’t sleep, they could always find rest in Obi-Wan’s bed. The older Jedi would stroke Ahsoka’s back lekku to soothe her enough to sleep. Anakin was always more relaxed around his former master.

  
That night was no different. The three Jedi laid in Obi-Wan’s large bed, Ahsoka in the middle of the two men. She curled into Obi-Wan’s side, wrapping her arms around him. Her grasp was tight, fearing that she would lose him if she let go. Obi-Wan looked at Anakin over Ahsoka’s montrals. He gave his former apprentice a small smile, Anakin visibly relaxing at the sight of Ahsoka finally relaxing.

  
The three of them fell asleep fairly quickly, but soon they were awoken. Ahsoka was writhing in the sheets, a worried look etched into her face. She kept mumbling anxious words, but her mumbles grew to shouts as Anakin tried to wake his padawan up.

  
“Stop! Please! Stop! Get away from me! Stop!” Ahsoka screamed, hands flailing. Tears seeped out of her closed eyes. Anakin grabbed her flailing hands with his robotic one, the other stroking her cheek, whispering gentle words to soothe her.

  
“It’s okay, Snips. I’m right here. I’m right here, Ahsoka. Please wake up for me. You are safe here, I promise. Wake up, Ahsoka.” Anakin continued to murmur such phrases as Ahsoka slowly calmed down, eventually waking up. Anakin could feel the tension in his shoulders gently release.

  
Obi-Wan had left to go make a strong, calming tea. It would help Ahsoka fall back asleep with no nightmares. Or so he hoped. Obi-Wan was starting to become very worried for his grandpadawan. He could sense that something was changing in her. Not with the Force. But she was literally changing. Her Force signature felt different. Not enough that Anakin would notice, because he wasn’t sensitive to the Life Force like Obi-Wan was.

  
In the morning, he was awoken by Ahsoka running to the refresher, and the sound of her throwing up. Obi-Wan knew something was wrong. Very, very wrong. Ahsoka was pregnant.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends! Hope you enjoy! This chapter is a little shorter than the last one, but I wanted to just get it up!

Rex started his day out like he always did when he was on leave. He would wake up. Take a quick shower. Go to the mess. Drink some caf and have some breakfast. Then, he would go on a walk. He liked walks. 

About 10 meters away from him, Rex saw Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka leaving the Temple. Ahsoka looked better than she had the day before, but the bright blue in her eyes was still a little dimmed. She looked less tired as well. Rex smiled, knowing that she was feeling better. The three Jedi were also out of their usual Jedi robes and battle clothes. Ahsoka had a grey cloak that covered her body, and she had the hood over her montrals. 

“Generals, Commander,” Rex acknowledged as he got closer to the trio.

“Rex,” Anakin nodded, keeping his arm wrapped around Ahsoka’s shoulders. Obi-Wan gave him a small nod as well, but Ahsoka ignored him, and continued on with Anakin. Rex felt a small twinge of hurt in his chest, but quickly pushed it away. The Jedi went in the opposite direction as he did, and he couldn’t help but look back at them as they boarded a transport cab. Rex could hear Obi-Wan tell the transport cabbie to take them to a hospital that was on one of the lower levels of Coruscant. The clone wondered why they were going down to almost the underground. 

Figuring it was likely for a mission and even if it wasn’t, it wasn’t his business, Rex continued on his walk. No longer in a peaceful mood, he quickened his pace and turned to go back to the Clone Barracks. 

* * *

Ahsoka knew her fate. She knew that she was very much pregnant, but didn’t have the heart to tell Obi-Wan and Anakin that she already knew. The Togrutan didn’t take a test or anything, but she knew that something with her Force signature had changed. Plus the new symptom of throwing up in the morning confirmed her fears.  
Obi-Wan had insisted that they go to a hospital on a lower level where the three Jedi were less known. Himself and Anakin were near celebrities on Coruscant, but she knew that the further down on Coruscant they got, the less likely people would know them. Anakin would pretend to be the father of Ahsoka’s baby, Obi-Wan her caretaker. Ahsoka was pushing nineteen years old, but Togrutans seemed to age slower than humans. It was plausible to say she was younger than her actual age. 

Seeing Rex had messed with Ahsoka’s head. She hadn’t anticipated seeing him so soon. Their interaction the day before wasn’t something she wanted to replay in her head, but it was now. Ahsoka couldn’t believe that she had allowed herself to touch him like she did. Gently caressing his cheek, almost in the way a lover would. She avoided his gaze when they had run in to him before getting on the cab. Ahsoka could sense his flash of hurt when she ignored him. 

“You know you’ll probably have to tell him at some point, right?” Anakin mentioned softly. Ahsoka nodded, getting in to the cab. “He’s a good man, Ahsoka. Don’t worry. And you will only have to tell him what you feel is necessary.” 

The blue Twi’lek doctor was very nice and nonjudgemental. The three Jedi appreciated that. She was very no-nonsense and didn’t ask any question other than the species of the father. 

“Human.” Ahsoka answered softly. The doctor hummed and continued with her examination. Anakin was pacing the floor of the hospital room. Obi-Wan sat next to Ahsoka and stroked her back montral soothingly. The doctor took a small sample of Ahsoka’s blood and then told the trio she’d be back in fifteen minutes with the results. 

When the Twi’lek came back, she had a grim look on her face. Obi-Wan’s heart broke and Anakin felt anger in his chest that a Jedi should not have felt. The doctor confirmed their fears, telling them that Ahsoka was indeed pregnant. Obi-Wan spoke for all of them and asked what they should do. 

“Well, she is technically full-grown after the age of 16, so nothing traumatic will happen as she progresses. I think that she’ll be healthy. I will prescribe some simple medications to help ease any discomfort. You said that you three are bounty hunters?” The doctor asked. 

“Yes, we are. She tends to get herself in a bit of trouble sometimes, so what can we do to make sure she is safe?” Anakin asked. 

“Take some time off or choose less strenuous jobs.”

After a few more questions, they thanked the doctor and left to go back to the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka stopped a few steps away from the entrance. 

“Master, I’m sorry. Can I have some time alone to process? I need to go on a walk to clear my head. I don’t think I could meditate in the Temple right now,” she asked, a small smile and a raised eyebrow marking on her face. Anakin nodded, and told her not to stay out too late. She said she wouldn’t and then left. 

Ahsoka really didn’t want to be alone. For some reason, she really wanted to see her men. Fives, Echo, Kix, but especially Rex. She felt bad for not speaking to him that morning when they had run in to him. And she had hardly spoken to him since they arrived back to Coruscant. Ahsoka knew that he would probably be hurt, but wouldn’t let her know. So she knew that she would have to apologize. 

“Commander! It’s good to see you up and running again!” Fives shouted at her from across the mess hall. That’s where she was told Rex would be. Fives, Rex, Echo, Six, and a few clones she didn’t know were sitting around a table playing cards. Rex looked up and a crooked smile crawled across his face at seeing his Commander. 

“Hey, Fives! How’s my favorite company doing?” Ahsoka asked, plastering a smile on her face. She hoped it looked convincing. 

Echo got up and stood next to her, slapping her across her back in lieu of a greeting. “We missed ya, vod’ika! We thought that Rexy here scared ya off!” 

“Hey now, perhaps I came here just to see the Captain? Wouldn’t you feel silly if that was the case?” Ahsoka smirked. There it was. She was starting to relax just a little. 

Rex blushed slightly, but it was gone as soon as it crossed his face. “Glad to see you, Commander. I would hope that you were coming to see more than just me. The men have been badgering me, asking when they could see their favorite CO again. For some reason, I could tell they weren’t talking about the Generals.” 

Ahsoka laughed, and for the first time in a while it didn’t feel forced. She felt proud of herself for that. “I don’t blame them. Skyguy has been restless not constantly getting captured and shot at. I think he’s going soft.”

The clones and Ahsoka bantered for awhile, playing cards and drinking burnt tasting caf. After a few hours, Ahsoka knew that she felt ready to talk to Rex again. She stood up and stretched, lightly punching him in the shoulder. All he did was raise an arched brow. 

“Yes, Commander?” He asked. 

“Take a walk with me, Captain. I have a few things to discuss with you.” Rex looked a little confused, but got up and left to go take a walk with her. 

“I’m sorr-”

“Ahsoka-”

They paused, laughing awkwardly. 

“You go first, Commander.”

Ahsoka sighed, nodding. 

“I’m sorry I haven’t myself lately, Rex. I shouldn’t have touched you that way the other day and I’m so sorry I ignored you today. Please forgive me for these lapses,” She rushed out. For some reason, Rex’s heart twinged a little when she said she regretted caressing his cheek. 

“Ahsoka, are you alright? Are you truly alright? After we returned from the slave mission, you haven’t been quite the same. I know that General Skywalker said that you were taken captive hostage. I can’t imagine what that was like for you.” Rex put a warm, strong hand on her shoulder. Her skin was cooler than he thought it would have been. They stood like that for a moment before Ahsoka had the capability to answer. 

“Yes, I was captured. It wasn’t easy. But, I think I’m getting better. Or, at least I will be. Rex, if I tell you something, will you promise not to say a word. You have to promise me,” she implored. Rex looked into her blue eyes with harsh brown ones. After a moment, he nodded. 

“Ahsoka, you know you can tell me anything. You’re my-” Rex hesitated. “You’re my friend. I don’t know if that is crossing a line but-”

“Rex, I’m pregnant,” Ahsoka rushed out. Rex stopped talking, jaw dropping ever so slightly. He looked at her, a mix of confusion and hurt on his face. 

“What do you mean, you’re pregnant?” He rasped out. Ahsoka knew that she had probably ruined the friendship with her Captain in a matter of words. 

“Zygerria, Rex. Please tell me they cover the basics on Kaminoa. I don’t think I could bear it if I had to explain it to you.”

Rex sought out the cool, durasteel wall for balance. Ahsoka was pregnant. His Ahsoka was pregnant. By those monsters! Was the baby going to be part Zygerrian? It didn’t matter right then in that moment. Rex’s heart began to pound. He was furious. He was livid. If he ever saw who hurt Ahsoka, he would kill them like he slaughtered hundreds of droids a week. It would be of little consequence to him. 

Rex felt a wave of calm pass through his mind. Ahsoka was likely soothing him with the Force. He forced himself to calm down. He was a soldier. He could do that and focus. Rex took a deep breath and suddenly felt very bold. If she was pregnant, that probably meant she was going to leave the Jedi order. What did he have to lose?

“Ahsoka, I love you. I’m not sure I know the full meaning of such a word but I know its what I feel for you,” Rex said, taking her hands in his large, calloused ones. 

Ahsoka looked at him with shock and confusion. “Rex, what are you saying?” 

“Ahsoka, I love you. I’ll request a transfer to a different unit, I’ll even desert if it means that I was able to tell you that I love you.”

“Rex why are you telling me this now of all times?” Ahsoka asked, stepping closer to him than was necessary. 

Rex’s heart was pounding an he could feel his hands begin to sweat in hers. Ahsoka was shaking. Her hands quaked, and he rubbed a soothing thumb over the back of her hand. He bent his head down so he was looking into her eyes. They had the shimmer in them again. Rex brought a large hand to her cheek, the other gently landing on her waist. Ahsoka leaned into his touch, nearly purring. 

Rex had never kissed anyone before. The other clones had gone to 79s on leave before, but he never did because he never felt like the type of man to go there. Echo and Fives said that it wasn’t in a clone’s programming to love, but it happened to the best of them. Slowly, Rex leaned down to press his lips on Ahsoka’s. 

“Rex,” she said, a hint of a warning in her voice. But the rest held no complaint. 

He closed the gap between them, kissing her sweetly. Her lips were as soft as he always imagined them to be. Ahsoka leaned in to the kiss. Rex tightened his grip on her waist. and deepened the kiss, opening his mouth.

After a moment of open-mouthed kisses, Rex pulled back, pressing his forehead against hers. He was breathless. Nothing would ever match the euphoria he felt right then. 

“Ahsoka, I hadn’t told you now, I’m afraid I never would have. And I needed to tell you. I love you.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips yet again. “I love you.” 

“Rex, I love you too. I love you, I love you, I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like???


	3. Nullis Causis Dolendis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex and Ahsoka discuss a few things concerning their relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has mentions of rape. 
> 
> Ahsoka and Rex discuss the means of their relationship. Rex gets a new assignment.

Ahsoka and Rex stood in each other’s arms for just a moment before both of their com links buzzed and a message from Anakin came through. 

“Time to get back, Snips. Meeting with Council. Requested to see you and Rex. Be back ASAP.” 

The pair looked at each other before Ahsoka stepped back as if she’d burned. Rex felt his heart twinge when she steeled her face to the look of a soldier. She coughed slightly and gave Rex a small salute. 

“Captain, I will see you back at the Temple. I will have to check in with my Master before the meeting with the Council. If you’ll excuse me,” Ahsoka rasped, giving a tense smile to Rex. 

“Of course, Commander. I will need to get the rest of my uniform.” Rex gave her a curt nod and turned to leave the small office they had made their sanctuary. 

Ahsoka sat down in the chair that was beside the desk, her legs buckling underneath her. Rex loved her. She loved Rex. Rex kissed her. She kissed Rex. And now the Jedi Council wanted to see them both. It couldn’t because of what transpired between them, could it? It was impossible. Unless they had cameras on Ahsoka at all times (which she doubted they would do), there was no way that they could have known. 

Ahsoka tried to take some deep, calming, meditative breaths to soothe her fears, but it didn’t really work. Knowing Anakin would be worried if she didn’t get back in time, she forced herself to make her legs take her to the Temple. When Ahsoka made it to the exit of the Clone Barracks, Rex had arrived at the same time. Thankfully, he had his bucket on. Ahsoka wasn’t sure if she would be able to handle seeing his face and the lips she just kissed. 

They walked together in a tense silence. She wasn’t sure what to say. Rex feared that if he took off his helmet or if he spoke, he’d do something that was definitely not allowed. Ahsoka kept stealing small glances at him. She thought he couldn’t tell, but he could. 

“It’s not about what happened, Commander. If that is what you are thinking,” Rex blurted. Ahsoka turned fully to look at him. He kept his helmet straight ahead. 

“How do you know?” Ahsoka asked in return. 

“General Skywalker said that he needed me to sit in on a meeting about you with the Council. I can only imagine that it will be about the-” Rex stopped, motioning to Ahsoka’s midsection. With a shaking hand, she gently held her flat stomach. It wouldn’t be especially flat for long. She could feel the panic and bile rise in her chest. Ahsoka wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready to tell the Council. She understood that they had to know. But they didn’t really need to know! 

“Commander? Are you alright?” Rex asked, gently. He stopped walking to look at Ahsoka. He stared deep into her eyes. Then, he took off the blasted helmet and really looked at her. The brightness from just moments before had vanished again. Even the blue of her lekku and montrals had faded ever so slightly. 

“I’ll be alright, Rex. Let’s keep going.” Ahsoka walked around where Rex stood, keeping on. Rex watched her for a moment, then quickening his pace to catch up. 

Once they had arrived at the Temple, Anakin was already waiting for Ahsoka at the entrance, but was pleasantly surprised to see Rex as well. Anakin gave Ahsoka a small side hug as they entered the Temple. He told Rex they would be back in about ten minutes and to just wait there for them. Then the pair left.

Rex had only been to the Jedi Temple once before. Rather, he had only been inside once before. That was when he was a freshly graduated cadet of the Clone Academy. It had been nearly four years ago. He was sent to the Temple to meet General Skywalker. Rex remembered seeing a younger Togrutan girl running through the halls of the Temple. He figured that was the first time he ever saw Ahsoka. 

It was a beautiful space. High, vaulted ceilings. There were exotic plants strung throughout the lobby. A young boy with a single, long braid was sitting at the front desk reading a book. Next to him was a steaming cup of tea. Down one of the halls that Rex could see, a group of younglings were learning how to use their brand new lightsabers. An older Twi’lek woman was showing them how to wield their weapon. 

Soon, Ahsoka and Anakin returned. Ahsoka looked pale, her eyes tinged with red. She likely had been crying. Anakin had a grim look on his face. Rex put his helmet back on and followed the pair down a long corridor to the Council’s Chamber. It was a quiet hallway, unlike the buzz of the lobby. Classrooms with older students reading and taking notes on one side. The other had rooms for private meditation. 

“Rex, you are about to receive some shocking news. Please, try not to react. Also, don’t force yourself to hide your reactions if you do. We’ll be able to tell either way,” Anakin whispered as they entered the chamber. The whole council was present in person for once. Rex only recognized General Kenobi, General Yoda, and General Koon. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to salute them. Rex decided to just to be safe. 

“At ease, Captain. We will try not to take much of your time, Rex. Take off your helmet. I know that recovering from the mission with Krell has been taxing on your men,” Kenobi started out. Rex slowly took off his helmet and continued to listen to the Jedi. 

“First, I feel it is best if we introduce ourselves to you, Captain. I am Master Mace Windu,” the older man to the right of Kenobi continued. The other Jedi introduced themselves and their titles. Rex tried to remember their names, but his thoughts were elsewhere. 

“Begin you should, Master Kenobi. The most knowledge, you do possess. Delicate, this subject is,” Yoda began. Obi-Wan swallowed thickly, sending a small smile of apology to Ahsoka, who had looked at him with fervor. 

“As you know, Rex, we were all separated on the mission to Zygerria. Well, except for us. Padawan Tano was taken hostage by Molec Atai, a well known slaver. He has a particular taste for young women of,” Obi-Wan paused, coughing. “More exotic species. His interest was peaked by Ahsoka. While what Ahsoka went through was not as visibly violent afterwards as what we went through, I do not doubt it was far more traumatic.” 

Rex only knew that she had been separated from Anakin. He never knew that she was taken by that slaver scug! Everything made more sense. 

“Padawan Tano was given variations of spice, a narcotic that slows the senses. It impacts Togrutans and Jedi much more than it does other species. As you can imagine, Ahsoka was completely unable to fight.” Obi-Wan paused, seeming to take a deep breath to calm and prepare himself. 

Rex took this moment to look over at Ahsoka. Her face was the face she got before a difficult battle. Focused, reserved, and void of emotion. Her body was rigid. Anakin however wasn’t even trying to hide his expressions. There was something about him that made him seem angry and about to fight, but also cold and reserved. 

“She was taken advantage of by the slaver’s companions. There was nothing that she could have done to prevent what happened to her. It was entirely the fault of the Council and the Republic for poor planning and lack of backup available.”

At this point, Rex could feel anger rising in his chest. He felt he too was at fault for not protecting his Commander. While he appreciated that they were telling him, Rex could tell this was the first time the Jedi Council was hearing of the ordeal. 

“Captain, what I am about to tell you must not leave this chamber. This information is on a strictly need-to-know basis. As far as Anakin, Ahsoka, and myself are concerned, you are the only clone that needs to know. Ahsoka is pregnant,” Obi-Wan explained, a tense expression on his face. Rex could hear the Council members start whispering amongst themselves. General Plo Koon bent his head, hiding his expression. 

“Master Kenobi, are you sure? Zygerrians aren’t built for interspecies conception?” Master Windu exclaimed. Other members made such comments. Rex felt anger rising in his chest again. He hated the way they were talking about such a dire issue with such ease. It disgusted him. It felt like they were making the situation less than it really was. 

Obi-Wan explained that it was because it was only a human that could have impregnated her. At that point, Rex stopped listening because he couldn’t stand how they talked about Ahsoka as if she wasn’t in the room. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and it brought him back to attention. 

“Rex, I know this a lot of information to be given at once. But there is more,” Anakin murmured. Rex gave his General a curt nod. Anakin sighed, motioning for the rest of the meeting to continue, stepping forward to speak. 

“You will be Ahsoka’s guard at all times now. She is your Commanding Officer, yes. But when it comes down to it, we want you to make the decision if came to her and her child’s safety. When she is in the Temple, you will stay in her quarters. She is being given new quarters that have two bedrooms and a kitchenette. You will not leave her quarters unless she is with you. When you are on assignment, you will be paired with Ahsoka at all times. After looking at the underground advertisements, there is a bounty for Ahsoka. They are calling her Ataray, and she is a runaway slave. We are trying to remove that bounty from her. But she is in more danger than ever,” Anakin explained. 

That- well, that was a lot. Rex was going to be living with her? It felt like a bad idea, but he wasn’t going try and persuade the Council based on the reasons he had. Mainly because all he wanted in that moment was to hold her and give her a loving kiss. Anakin stepped to look directly at Ahsoka. 

“There is more we will have you do, but that is all we have right now. Ahsoka, is there anything you want to contribute?” Anakin asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head. Anakin gave her a small, sad smile. It seemed to be a trend as of late. Those small smiles that had the overtone of “I’m sorry” in them. 

“Then we will adjourn the meeting. Captain Rex, you’re dismissed. Ahsoka, you are dismissed as well,” Obi-Wan contributed. Rex gave the Council a small nod of acknowledgement, then left. Ahsoka followed shortly after. 

They walked down the quiet corridor in an even worse silence. Rex felt like he should say something, but didn’t know what to say. Ahsoka felt numb and wanted nothing more to be wrapped up in Rex’s arms. But knew that she had made a mistake. How was she to get rid of the un-Jedi like feelings if he were to be her roommate? They were going to be in such close quarters that she was going to be able to feel his Force signature constantly. 

“What would you like me to do, Commander,” Rex asked, quietly. Ahsoka wasn’t sure she even heard him. 

“I don’t know, Rex. I’m sorry you’re stuck being my babysitter. I know how much you want to be with your men,” Ahsoka replied, looking up at him. 

“I’m okay with being stuck with you, Ahsoka,” Rex countered, reaching to take her shaking hand. Ahsoka pulled it back, shaking her head. 

“No, Rex. We can’t. Not here. Not- We need to talk about what happened. Tonight? Okay?” Ahsoka whispered. Rex schooled his expression to a neutral one, nodding. Ahsoka let out a sigh as if she had been holding her breath. 

“You should go back to the barracks and retrieve your belongings. I won’t be on assignment for another week, so I have to do my studies. Just send Anakin or myself a com message when you return,” Ahsoka rushed out. Giving him a quick nod, she turned and left to go down one of the hallways full of meditation rooms. Rex stood there watching her until she turned into a room. 

Ahsoka needed to think about what transpired between her and her Captain. She really needed to meditate on what happened. It wasn’t as if she did not enjoy what happened between her and her Captain, but it was wrong. She was a Jedi. She wasn’t supposed to love. She wasn’t supposed to form attachments to others. That rule she felt she had never followed. Anakin and Obi-Wan weren’t the best teachers with that aspect of the Code. 

Rex was a clone. It wasn’t even in their programming to feel love for someone. Attraction was strictly a biological response that not even the Kaminoans couldn’t remove. Rex was the one who said he loved her first. Ahsoka knew how she had felt for years. The longing, the craving for his touch, the fluttering in her chest whenever he joked around with her, the way he protected her. She knew that she loved him. But saying she loved him out loud was the first time she acknowledged it. 

Ahsoka sat down in her favorite meditation room, lighting a few calming candles. Sitting down cross legged, she put her hands over her heart, trying to connect with the Force. Deep breaths in, deep breaths out. Connect with the floor. Feel the air around her. Ahsoka could sense Rex walking down the hallway to the entrance of the Temple. She could feel Anakin and Obi-Wan pacing the floor in their separate quarters. Inside herself, she could feel the spark of life, deep within her belly. 

What was she going to do? She loved Rex. She absolutely love him. And he loved her too, if not more. Perhaps it wasn’t for her to decide. Perhaps, like most things, she needed to trust in the Force. Above all, she should trust in Rex. 

Later that night, she went to her new quarters, and Rex was already waiting for her. He was still wearing his armor. Rex didn’t notice her at first, he was reading something on his holotab, a small frown on his lips. Ahsoka knocked on the doorframe into the small living area of the quarters. Rex looked up, hand moving to his blaster, but a relaxed expression crossing his face upon realizing it was Ahsoka. 

“Captain,” she acknowledged, going to find her belongings in one of the rooms. 

“Commander,” Rex replied, a slight tenseness in his voice. “Your bedroom is the one on the right. General Skywalker moved your belongings there earlier this evening.”

Ahsoka nodded curtly, going to the fresher to wash her face and headtails. She felt tired from sparring with Obi-Wan, and a little grimy as well. Rex set his tablet down and went to take off his armor, but Ahsoka didn’t realize what he was doing. Thinking he was going to follow her to her bedroom, she turned around, ready to chastise him, but he was walking int he opposite direction. 

“Ahsoka?” Rex called out in the awkward silence. “Did you tell me you loved me because you felt you needed to? Or because you actually love me?” 

His question caught Ahsoka entirely off guard. She turned around to face him, a pained look marring her face. 

“Rex, I love you more than you know. But it’s not right. I’m a Jedi and you’re-” Ahsoka stopped herself. 

“I’m a clone. It’s okay. It’s who I am. You can say it.” Rex stepped closer to her and grabbed her small hand in his large, calloused one. 

“I am trained to not form attachments. Not develop feelings for anyone. I can connect with anyone, but I cannot form attachments because attachment leads to the dark side, Rex. I’m afraid that if I slip and I let myself love you I, too, will fall. And that would be the ultimate betrayal to the people who raised me. Please tell me you understand, Rex,” Ahsoka explained, her voice cracking with emotion. 

“You are my CO. I am a clone who wasn’t even supposed to exist in the first place. The galaxy is filled with things that aren’t supposed to happen,” Rex reasoned. Ahsoka sighed, shaking her head.

“What happened back in the Clone Barracks, it was a mistake. It was wrong, Rex.” Ahsoka’s voice was barely over a whisper. Rex gingerly leaned down, brushing his lips against hers. Testing the waters. 

“But do you regret it?” Rex murmured into her mouth. “Because I have no regrets, Ahsoka.”

Rex kissed her fully now. Ahsoka knew that Anakin could walk in at any point. But it felt so nice to have Rex’s lips on hers. She pulled away for just a moment. 

“No, Rex. I don’t regret it. But it shouldn’t happen.” Rex pulled her closer to him, strong hands on her hips. Ahsoka, unbeknownst to her, let out a small, gasping purr from her mouth when he tightened the grip on her waist. Rex kissed her, opening his mouth to her and she replied similarly. He turned her so that her back was against the wall. 

“Rex, we shouldn’t-” Ahsoka only responded to his actions eagerly. 

“I know.” His lips left her mouth and drew the outline of her jawline and her neck with his warm tongue, then gently giving her collarbone a small nip. 

“Rex,” she gasped. Suddenly images of angry men flashed into her vision. Rex’s golden eyes changed to steely grey ones. Ahsoka shoved Rex off of her, more and more images of angry, hungry men coming to her vision. 

“Pretty little Jedi, she is.” A man with a faintly Coruscanti exclaimed, running a finger across her jawline and cheek. Ashoka was so drugged that she didn’t even care to move to bite him. 

“Normally she’s a bit of a biter, but this time we gave her a little spice so she’ll be more friendly,” Molec Atai sneered. The Coruscanti man laughed, grabbing Ahsoka’s waist. 

In the present moment, Rex was trying to bring Ahsoka back to him, apologizing over and over again. 

Again, the Coruscanti man was on her, thrusting and putting hot, rank kisses along her neck and collarbone. The grip on her arms was enough to bruise. Ahsoka was able to rasp out a meek, “stop,” but the man bit her neck enough to make her bleed. 

“Ahsoka, please listen to me!” Rex cried. Ahsoka looked up at Rex, tears falling free from her eyes. Her chest heaved. He looked at her with fear and confusion. And regret. So much regret. 

“You are safe here. Wherever you just were, you are safe. You are right here. I’m here. I’m so sorry if I did something wrong. I shouldn’t have- I’m so sorry, Ahsoka. You are safe here,” Rex rambled. Ahsoka’s breathing began to slow down. She looked down and her hands were in Rex’s. They were shaking, but not as much as they would if she were alone. 

“You’re okay, Ahsoka. You are safe here. You are safe with me.”

“I’m safe. I’m safe.” If only she believed the words she was saying. 

Rex pulled her to his chest, wishing his armor was off so he could feel her. But even through the armor could tell she was shaking. He sighed, wrapping both of his arms tightly around her. Ahsoka began to cry. First, gentle sniffles and soft sobs, but soon her tears overcame her and she was inconsolable. Rex’s heart ached hearing in so much pain. 

Rex had no idea what to do. Usually when the clones would eventually breakdown, he’d give the shinnies a tight embrace and let them compose themselves in his arms. After Umbara, Rex would sit down with each of his men almost every day to see how they were doing. He wished now that he had done the same with Ahsoka. It seemed like she had been holding herself together by a single strand the past few weeks. 

Ahsoka tried to calm herself, but not even sending what she was feeling to the Force worked. Rex rested his head in-between her montrals, letting her fall apart in his arms. Not knowing what else to do, he murmured small phrases, letting her know she was safe. They weren’t here. They couldn’t hurt her anymore. Then Rex remembered what Anakin had done to Ahsoka once when she was a young padawan and was crying after a mission. He had rubbed her back lekku to soothe her. Rex gently stroked her lekku, and it seemed to calm her down. Soon, her breathing returned to normal, save for a few hiccups.

“I’m so sorry, Ahsoka. I wasn’t thinking. I went too far,” Rex whispered. Ahsoka looked up at him, eyes red from crying.

“Will you stay with me tonight?”

Rex looked at her with confused. “Ahsoka, I have to stay here, remember?”  


“Yes, I know. But I don’t think I can sleep in there alone. Rex, will you stay with me?” Ahsoka’s voice was the smallest Rex had ever heard her. Realizing what she meant, he swallowed thickly, nodding. 

“I’ll stay with you, Ahsoka. I’ll always stay with you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! Kudos and comments are welcome!


	4. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex, Ahsoka, and Anakin come to accept a few things.

Ahsoka woke up before Rex did. It was the best sleep she had since returning from Zygerria. When she did finally rise, the sun was still low in the Coruscant sky. Rex’s right arm was lazily draped over her waist. He was snoring softly. Ahsoka chuckled slightly. It felt oddly domestic. Waking up in the arms of the man she loved, watching the sun slowly rise. Rex shifted slightly, pulling Ahsoka closer to him. For a moment, she thought of falling back asleep, letting the moment last just a little bit longer. 

But then the alarm she had set on her com link went off. 

Ahsoka sighed, forcing herself to peel away from Rex’s sleeping grasp. His face contorted into a frown for a second before he rolled over. The Togruta noted that this was the most relaxed she had ever seen her Captain. That thought brought a small smile to her lips. Ahsoka watched Rex sleep for just a moment before going to the fresher to take a quick shower. In the shower was her typical soaps from Shili that she got shipped in. Coruscanti vendors didn’t understand how delicate their skin actually was. But there was also two bottles that she recognized from the few times she had gone to the showers on the Resolute. Republic issued soaps and shampoos. Typical, but when Ahsoka opened the bottle to give it a whiff, the scent was so specifically Rex. 

Once Ahsoka was done with her shower, she snuck back in to her bedroom to grab some clean clothes. She had forgotten to grab it before getting in. Thankfully, Rex was still out cold. Grabbing some clean clothes, Ahsoka went back to the bathroom to continue getting ready for the day. After a few minutes, there was a small knock on the door to the fresher.

“Ahsoka, are you almost ready? I got a message from General Skywalker saying we need to meet him in 30 minutes,” Rex called out. 

“I’ll be ready in five. Make some caf, would ya?” Ahsoka responded. Rex felt a smile creep across his face. Ahsoka was starting to sound like her old self again. 

“Of course, Commander. Coming right up.” 

A few moments later, Ahsoka could smell fresh caf coming from the small kitchen. However, her stomach protested at the smell of it. It made it churn and suddenly Ahsoka was emptying her stomach of last night’s dinner. The doctor warned her it might happen, but Ahsoka had really hoped she wouldn’t get nausea. When she didn’t leave the fresher after five minutes, Rex went to knock on the door again to see if she was ready. But he could hear what was happening inside. 

Not knowing whether or not to enter the fresher and hold her lekku back or not, Rex stood awkwardly at the door. After a moment, though, Ahsoka flushed the toilet and brushed her teeth for the second time that morning. She seemed a little surprised where Rex stood when she opened the door. 

“On second thought, I might skip the caf this morning, Rexster,” Ahsoka joked with a grim smile. 

“Plenty for me, then,” Rex agreed, testing his limits and caressing Ahsoka’s cheek. The pair turned toward the door suddenly when Anakin entered the small quarters. Rex quickly removed his hand back to where it was before. 

“Ah, good! You’re up. Ahsoka, I’m so sorry, but we are leaving right away. The 501st is needed in the Outer Rim. Looks like our break is over a little early,” Anakin explained. Ahsoka nodded quickly, taking a small step away from Rex. Anakin seemed to notice and merely raised an eyebrow at her. 

_“Not now, Master,”_ She sent through the Force. 

_“I’m assuming this will be something we have to discuss later, isn’t it?”_ Anakin replied. 

_“Yes, it will be.”_

“Master, just give me a moment to gather some items and I’ll be ready to go.”

About two hours later, the 501st, Anakin, and Ahsoka were making their way through hyperspace to get to Florrum. It would take almost three standard rotations to get there from Coruscant, so Ahsoka had plenty of time to ignore Rex and talk to Anakin. And perhaps get a little extra training in with one of the other clones. Around the start of what would be the second rotation, Ahsoka decided that she needed to talk to Anakin about her attachment to Rex. 

Figuring he would be in the hangar messing around on his ship, Ahsoka made her way down. She could here him cursing at the old, beat up ship all the way from the other side. That made Ahsoka laugh under her breath. Her master was never very good at maintaining his emotions. She tapped the hood of the small ship and Anakin rolled out from underneath of it. 

“What’s up, Snips?” He asked, getting up from the ground. 

“Hey Skyguy, can we talk?” Ahsoka refused to make eye contact with her master. 

“Of course. Wait- is this about the other day in your quarters?” Anakin raised a single eyebrow at her, crossing his arms. Ahsoka suddenly found her shoes very interesting. 

“Yes, Master. It is. Can we go somewhere a little more private?” 

“That would be best. Let’s go to my quarters.”

When they arrived to Anakin’s quarters, Ahsoka sat down on the small shelf that the Republic called a bed. Anakin leaned against the wall across from her, arms crossed. 

“Alright, Snips. What’s up?” Anakin was going to make this as painless for the both of them as possible. He knew what was going on between his padawan and his Captain. He could see it long before they could see it for themselves. 

“I’m afraid that I’ve formed an attachment to Rex. A very strong one. I know that attachments are forbidden, Anakin, but I don’t know if I can break this one off. Lux, that was easy. He was just a silly crush. The other clones, I just don’t know them the way I know Rex. He’s- well, Rex is different,” Ahsoka rushed out. 

“Is that it? You have an attachment to Rex? ‘Soka, I could tell for the past two years that you have had an attachment to him. Has anything happened between the two of you? Have you kissed?” Anakin asked, trying not to laugh while still keeping a serious face. He could tell by how the color drained from her face that they had kissed. 

“Yes, Master. We have. Twice. I’m so sorry.” 

“Ahsoka, I’m not mad.” 

“I will leave the order if that’s- Wait, you’re not mad?” Ahsoka looked up from her hands in her lap to meet the eyes of her Master. 

“No, Ahsoka. I’m not. I can tell you love him and that he loves you. Rex is a good man and a good soldier. Just in the few days he’s been around you since Zygerria, he’s brought us the snippy Ahsoka we know and love. He’s healing you, Ahsoka,” Anakin urged. Ahsoka had tears welling in her eyes. For a moment he thought that those tears were sad tears, but Anakin knew they were happy ones. 

“Thank you, Anakin. I really needed to hear you say that. I know that Obi-Wan won’t agree and that if I tell him that so many things would change, but I’m glad that you approve,” Ahsoka continued, pulling her Master into a hug. “Thank you so much.”

“Besides, it would be a little hypocritical of me to not be okay with it. I’m married, Ahsoka. To Padmé. Have been for years.”

Ahsoka pulled back and gave him a look of shock. “You’re kidding.”

“No, Snips, no I am not. I’ve known her since I was a child and fell in love with her the moment I first set my eyes on her. But that’s not the point. The point is that I care for you and Obi-Wan supports this as well,” Anakin explained. “We’ve had a bet since Umbarra who was going to crack first and finally tell the other they loved them. It looks like I owe my old master fifty credits.”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. Of course they would be betting on her and Rex. She wondered if any of the other clones had made a bet on the two of them. Knowing Fives and Echo, they probably had. 

Anakin came and sat down next to her on the stiff bed, leaning into the wall. The older Jedi pulled out his holotab and pulled up a photo of Padmé and himself. They looked younger and more innocent than they did now. Padmé was wearing a beautiful white gown and Anakin looked handsome in his formal Jedi robes. He explained that this was when they had gotten married on Naboo. They were just children then, Anakin was almost twenty, Padmé nearly twenty-five. Ahsoka couldn’t believe she hadn’t realized that the two of them were more than just good friends. Now that she thought about it, her and Rex acted more like Anakin and Padmé than they realized. 

The pair sat in his quarters for about twenty minutes more before they decided to check on their men. Specifically, Ahsoka needed to check on Rex. She had been avoiding him for the past day, not wanting to talk about the night they spent together and the morning after. It was embarrassing. She had been weak when she should have just carried on like nothing had happened. 

But she couldn’t just carry on. Not when Rex’s arms were so strong and his body was so warm when he slept. Not when his head fit perfectly between her montrals. Not when his lips fit perfectly with hers. Not when it was almost as if he had been made exactly to match her body. 

Ahsoka made her way down to the hallway where Rex usually did paperwork and mentally prepared for battle. Once she found the little room he had claimed as his office, Ahsoka stood ready to knock. Her hand shook, waiting to rap on the door. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. 

_“Just do it, Snips. I’m sure he’ll want to see you instead of all the paperwork I gave him to fill out.”_ Anakin’s voice rang through her mind. Normally she hated when he sent her messages like that through the Force, but not this time. She needed it. Ahsoka took a deep breath and knocked. Once softly, but the next two were a little stronger, a little more sure. 

“Come in,” Rex called out absently. Ahsoka slowly opened the door and barely made a sound. He didn’t even look up.

“If you aren’t the General, the Commander, or Kix bringing me caf, get the hell out of my office. I’ve got enough knifing paperwork. I don’t need some shiny bothering me right now,” Rex drawled, eyes still on his paperwork. 

“You know, I can come back later if you’re busy, Captain,” Ahsoka said softly. Rex looked up, blinked a couple times, then smiled softly realizing who it was. 

“Hello, Commander. What can I do for you?” Rex asked, standing up from his desk. Ahsoka sighed, collapsing into the chair opposite from Rex. Confused, he also sat down. 

“Are you alright, Ahsoka?”

“I’m really sorry, Rex. I feel awful for ignoring you and I put you in a position I shouldn’t have the other night and then the morning was awkward and-”

Rex stood up as she spoke and went to the other side of the desk to pull her into an embrace. He wrapped his strong arms around her, letting a hand rest on her back lekku. Ahsoka seemed to melt into his embrace, breathing in the smell of him. 

“it’s okay, cyar’ika. It’s okay,” he murmured into her montrals. “Really, it is. I understand. I mean, I don’t really understand, but I do a little.”

“Cyar’ika?” Ahsoka tried. 

“It’s Mando’a. It means darling, or sweetheart. My beloved.”

Ahsoka stepped back from his embrace just slightly. She looked deep into his almost golden eyes. They had a soft feel to them. Rex’s face was relaxed. The Kaminoans chose quite the handsome donor for the clones. Rex’s jawline seemed more defined than other clones, though. His cheekbones just a little more sharp. But his lips were the same. While they tended to find themselves into a from more often than not, Rex’s lips were full and easy to kiss. 

“What are you looking at? Do I have something on my face?” Rex joked, bringing a hand to cup her jaw. When Ahsoka said nothing, he leaned down and kissed her softly. 

“Is this okay?” Rex asked, uncertainty in his words. Ahsoka nodded, leaning in to kiss him again. Ahsoka deepened the kiss, finding comfort in Rex. She knew they shouldn’t risk it in case a clone walked in, but Ahsoka couldn’t find the will to care, and neither could Rex. 

“Rex, we should really talk,” Ahsoka murmured into his lips after a moment sweet kisses. Rex sighed, but nodded his head in agreement. 

“We really should, shouldn’t we,” he nearly grumbled. Ahsoka stepped away and went back to sit in the chair she had been sitting in. 

“Yes, we really should. Rex, I love you. I do. More than you could possibly realize. But I am a Jedi,” Ahsoka began. Rex sighed again, this time out of annoyance. 

“Ahsoka, I thought we had talked about this. There are plenty of things in this kriffing galaxy that shouldn’t have happened-”

“But I’m willing to try if we set some rules. And we did not talk about it. You kissed me before we could talk about it. First thing’s first, we have to carry on like we have been around the men. Nothing with them must change. I don’t want to deal with that in addition to having Anakin teasing me like I know he will.” Ahsoka couldn’t possibly bear the thought of Fives finding out about their relationship. He teased them enough already without him knowing that his teasings had truth to them now. 

“The General knows?” Rex exclaimed, the color leaving his face. Ahsoka tried to refrain from a small smile, but she couldn’t help it. 

“Yes, he does. Apparently Obi-Wan and him had a bet to who would tell the other first. I guess Anakin owes Obi-Wan fifty credits now. Moving on from those two. Second, I want you to spend nights with me more often. If you want. That was the best sleep I had gotten in months, Rex. I felt safe with you there,” Ahsoka admitted. Rex had to refrain from jumping over the desk to kiss her with that look on her face. She looked so genuinely tired that it made him unreasonably happy to know he helped her sleep.

“I told you before, ‘Soka, I will always stay with you.” And it was true. Rex would be with her whenever she needed him. 

“I know, Rex. But I don’t want to tie you down to me. Finally, we will set physical boundaries as they arise. I don’t want anything more from you than kisses, Rex. I can’t- I can’t do that again,” Ahsoka whispered the last few words. This time, Rex did cross to the other side of the desk to pull her in to an embrace. He was feeling particularly brazen. 

“I know, Ahsoka. I’m truly very sorry that I made you go back there. If I could take it back I would, cyar’ika.” Rex pressed a soft kiss to the little valley between her montrals. 

“Thank you, Rex. Now, I have a feeling a certain company is going to be needing some extra hyping up before we go out there in the morning. Shall we?” Ahsoka motioned to the door to the office. Rex grabbed his bucket and gave her a joking salute. 

“Sure thing, Commander.”

When they arrived to the mess hall, Fives, Jesse, Kix, Echo, and a handful of other clones were at a table playing a game of cards. Ahsoka didn’t recognize what game they were playing. It must have been one that Echo made up. The group gave a cheer when they saw their commander, but jokingly groaned when they saw Rex was with her. 

For the next few hours, they played card games, joked around, and generally had a good time. Ahsoka felt the most relaxed she had been since returning from Zygerria. It was nice to be around her men again. She had missed them, and it seemed that they had missed her too. 

“Commander, Echo here thinks that you and a certain blonde captain have been spending a little extra time, together. Why do you think that he would think that?” Fives asked cheekily. Ahsoka felt a moment of panic before deciding to answer as truthfully as she could bear. 

“Well, Fives, it’s true. Rexster has been assigned as my partner. I seemed to have caused a bit of a stir on Zygerria that put a rather large bounty on my head. Seems I must have caught their eye in the stupid little outfit they had me wear,” Ahsoka smirked, hoping that the answer was good enough for them. Or at the very least, change topics to not their relationship.

“I’m sorry, but little outfit? What they make you wear? A little dress? A skirt? How dare they put our Commander in such a thing!” Fives joked. That earned an eye roll from Kix, who decided to speak up. 

“I saw it with my own eyes, vode, it was worse than a skirt or a dress. It had a little headpiece! No place to even clip her sabers on!” Kix cried out.

“Rex, you were on that mission, right? Tell us, Rexy old boy, was it as awful as these men are making it seem?” Fives teased, punching his brother in the arm. Rex blushed ever so slightly, coughed to recover, then began his answer.

“You want to know what I think, vode?” Rex started, playing up the dramatics. He looked over at Ahsoka and sighed exasperatedly. “It was an embarrassment. It was sparkly and blue and I had to hit a shiny to keep his jaw from hitting the floor at the sight of such grandeur. It was too much for our humble Commander.” 

The men paused for a moment to take in the new information. Then, they erupted in outrageous laughter. Ahsoka giggled at her men’s reaction, feeling a hand being placed on her knee under the table. It startled her at first, but she then realized it was Rex’s. Ahsoka slipped a hand under the table as well and gave his large hand a squeeze. They gave each other a small, knowing look, then went back to having a conversation with the clones. Even after hours of conversation and card games played, whenever one would slip a hand underneath, they interlocked their fingers and kept them that way until a hand was needed. They thought that they were being sneaky, but Fives-

Well, Fives knows everything that happens on the Resolute. He knew everything that the clones did behind closed doors. He knew that Kix and another clone that called himself Flash spent time together behind closed supply closet doors. Fives even knew that Rex found a shiny trying to fashion a noose out of his para cords after a particularly difficult campaign that they lost quite a few men. 

Fives knew many, many things. So when his Captain and Commander left together after dinner to go to bed, he saw that they forgot to drop hands before stepping away from the table. Fives especially noticed the looks Rex had been giving Ahsoka all evening. She didn’t notice, but there was a constant soft smile on their rough-around-the-edges captain’s face. Ahsoka seemed the most relaxed she had been in the past year. Fives wasn’t going to do what he usually did and call them out on their secretive ways. He would talk to Rex, corner him and then attack him with questions. 

But Ahsoka- their beautiful, sweet, brave Commander- Fives would let be. Ahsoka deserved to have this little piece of happiness in the darkness of the war. And if that happiness stemmed from their grumpy Captain, well, who was Fives to stop happiness?


	5. No Other Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has mentions and slight depictions of rape/non-con.

The Resolute landed in the middle of the desert on Florrum. Ahsoka hated Florrum, but she seemed to be there far too often. She hadn’t really paid attention to the pre-mission briefing as to why they were there, but she knew that it something to do with Hondo Ohnaka, the pirate scum that had given the Republic trouble many, many times. He seemed to have a soft spot for Obi-Wan, but loved to make things especially difficult for Anakin and Ahsoka. Ahsoka had no doubt that he was going to make things more difficult than need be. Hondo had called the Jedi to let them know that he had a surprise for them. Kyber Crystals. 

“Skywalker? I asked for Kenobi, my favorite Jedi. No offense, little one,” Hondo winked at Ahsoka. She rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t worry, Hondo. He’ll be here soon. Now, remind me, why are we back here, yet again?” Anakin drawled. Ahsoka could tell that he was trying his best to be serious. 

“Now, now, we’ll get to that. But first, let us have a drink and some food, yes? Pirates promise: It isn’t drugged this time,” Hondo laughed, slapping Anakin on the shoulder.Anakin and Ahsoka looked at each other with hesitation. Rex, who had been watching the interaction unfold in silence, shifted his weight and the way he held his blaster. Eventually, Anakin just shrugged and started to follow where Hondo led. Obi-Wan snuck his way up to where Ahsoka and Rex were walking. 

“Do you have any idea what is going on, Master? All Anakin told me during the briefing is that Hondo has a business opportunity with us,” Ahsoka asked, looking up at the older Jedi. Obi-Wan brought a hand to stroke his beard. 

“I’m not sure, young one. That is all I know as well,” Obi-Wan responded. “Be on your guard. Not only are these pirates untrustworthy to begin with, but they might be aware of the bounty on your head. Don’t eat or drink anything that Anakin or Rex don’t try first, alright?”

“Alright, Master.”

“You’ll be okay, ‘Soka. It’ll be a really quick mission than we can go back to Coruscant,” Obi-Wan whispered giving her a squeeze on the shoulder. Ahsoka looked up at her grandmaster and gave him a small smile in return. 

Rex watched the exchange as he walked a small distance behind them. General Kenobi was a good man. He wished that they could go to Mandalore more. The older Jedi seemed to be in a better mood after trips to the planet. Rex felt a twinge of jealousy as he saw Ahsoka laugh and smile with the generals. 

No. He shouldn’t be jealous. Rex had no reason to be jealous of Ahsoka’s relationship with Anakin and Obi-Wan. It was entirely different with them. They were her parent and brother figures. Family. Rex was- what was he? A lover? Her boyfriends? Companion? Whatever he was, he was hers. It wasn’t family. It was passion and romance with him.

But still there was a part of Rex that wished that he could walk and talk with Ahsoka the way that they did. Without rules and regulations. He wished that he could give Ahsoka’s hand a squeeze. A small, encouraging kiss on her forehead. Rex wasn’t sure when he had gotten so soft for her, but he wanted to be domestic. Yes, that was it. Rex wanted to forget the war and know only her. But he couldn’t. Not now, if ever. The Captain took a moment to take a deep breath and shake off any feelings of jealousy. He needed to be on his guard and to focus. Ahsoka couldn’t become a distraction. 

Hondo led them to a cantina. Ahsoka had been there before, as had the Generals. But Rex usually waited back on the _Resolute_ for his cue when they dealt with Hondo. So he wasn’t used to the pirate leader’s flirtatious and charismatic personality. When they arrived to the cantina, he took Ahsoka by the hand and led her to a booth and demanded that someone bring them a drink. Rex started to walk over the booth, feeling the fire of jealousy spark up again. Anakin grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.

“Trust her, Rex. It’s vital to the mission that Ahsoka spends time with Hondo. He’s always liked Obi-Wan, but there is a soft spot deep down in Hondo for Snips. Hondo has almost twenty kyber crystals,” Anakin whispered, keeping his back to the pirate and his padawan. “Kyber crystals are the heart of the lightsaber. The Council cannot allow him to have them. It’s concerning that he was able to get them to begin with. Ahsoka has to convince him to give us the crystals. We’d have Obi-Wan try, but Ahsoka is prettier.”

Rex felt anger in his chest. So the kriffing Council decided that they were going to use Ahsoka as bait, yet again. Last time they did that Ahsoka got pregnant. 

“Trust me, Rex, I don’t like using her like this again, either. But if the Sith got ahold of the crystals, the war would be as good as lost. The fate of the galaxy is resting in the hands of Hondo. We need to use any high ground we have,” Anakin whispered, tightening his mechanical hand around Rex’s shoulder. Rex gritted his teeth, nodding. 

“What will you have me do, General? I’m supposed to protect her, aren’t I?” Rex resigned. 

“Have a drink. I know I’m going to. I think Obi-Wan is already one drink in. It is going to be a long night.” Anakin let go of his grasp on Rex’s shoulder, and left to go get a drink.Rex sighed, rubbing a worried hand across his face. He knew he could trust Ahsoka, but he didn’t want to watch her throw herself at Hondo for the sake of the Republic. 

_“You guys had to go through that training, too? Stars, I can’t believe they made us do that training so young. I couldn’t have been older than 12, maybe?” Ahsoka laughed,putting down her cup of caf. It was a year ago. Ahsoka was younger, and Rex’s helmet didn’t have nearly as many tally marks on it._

_“Yeah, they basically told us we wouldn’t ever get in that situation since we are just clones. It was also just a general anatomy lesson for more common species. Pretty sure Fives took detailed notes that day,” Rex joked._

_“They basically told us that if we needed to, we would have to lie down and let it happen for the Republic,” Ahsoka added, looking in to her empty cup of caf._

Rex looked over at Ahsoka over his glass of whiskey. Ahsoka had moved to the same side of the booth as Hondo, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Ahsoka had a mostly full glass in her hand. Rex could tell she was shaking. He looked down in to his glass, and realized he had already finished it. 

Hondo leaned in closer to Ahsoka and Rex could see her stiffen slightly. Ahsoka moved slightly away and changed her position so she was practically sitting in Hondo’s lap. Realistically, it made sense. Ahsoka would be able to control the situation if she had him under her. That didn’t mean that Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Rex didn’t like it. 

Ahsoka leaned in to Hondo and whispered in his ear. Hondo left out a hearty chuckle, setting his hand on her waist. Ahsoka whispered something else to him, trying her best to hide her discomfort. Next to Rex, Anakin was communicating to Ahsoka through the Force. 

_“He told me I could have the crystals if I spent the night with him, Anakin. He wants me to sleep with him.”_ Ahsoka sent to Anakin, panic clear in her message. Anakin’s robotic hand squeezed his glass a little too hard and it broke. Fortunately, it was empty. 

Rex looked over at his General. Anakin told him and Obi-Wan what she had sent and Rex’s heart sunk. Not again. Not _kriffing_ again. Rex wasn’t going to allow this to happen to her again. 

“There has to be another way, Anakin,” Obi-Wan tried to reason, remaining composed. Out of the corner of his eye, Rex saw Ahsoka lean in to Hondo once more, placing a small kiss on his shriveled lips. Hondo laughed once more, grabbing her waist with both hands.

“Oh little one, you really want those crystals, don’t you?” Hondo sneered. Ahsoka sent a small apology through the Force to Anakin.

_“Tell Rex I’m sorry. Please, Anakin. I’m not sure we have another choice.”_

Ahsoka leaned in to kiss Hondo again, and Rex felt nausea rise in his chest. Why weren’t the other Jedi trying to help her? Rex looked over to Anakin and Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan was leaving with one of the waitresses, a younger Twi’lek woman with blue skin. Really, Obi-Wan?

“Why aren’t you helping her?” Rex growled under his breath. Anakin put a hand on Rex’s shoulder. 

“Obi-Wan is. He left with the Twi’lek woman because she knows where the crystals are. Ahsoka is just a distraction now. She just has to keep Hondo entertained for a moment longer than we will step in. You must trust her, Rex. Trust the Force,” Anakin responded. 

Rex ordered another drink, this time, a little stronger. Anakin didn’t stop him. Rex could handle his liquor. All the two men could think about was how this was going to impact Ahsoka’s healing. She had been getting better, yes. But this was a lot to ask of her. The Council knew that. Perhaps this was her Great Trial. Regardless, Anakin and Rex were furious with the Council and scared for her. 

As Ahsoka kissed Hondo, letting him do what he wanted, she thought to the time Rex and her talked about their different trainings. How much simpler things had seemed back then. War changes things. It changes people. It had changed Ahsoka far too much. Before the war, she wouldn’t have even thought about kissing a man like Hondo. 

She kissed him a few more times, running her hands over his chest. It felt wrong. But it was necessary. Ahsoka stiffened when Hondo squeezed her hips, moving his lips to her neck. She had memories back to Zygerria. Hot, rank breath on her neck. Sloppy, wet kisses on her collarbone. 

“I like it when my women are vocal, little one,” Hondo moaned into her neck. Ahsoka felt sick. “Like to know that I’m making them happy.” 

“I’m a little shy,” Ahsoka whimpered. Hondo gave another one of his hearty laughs. He went in and gave her another kiss on her neck, sucking just a little. In attempt to speed things up and let her have the crystals, Ahsoka gave a gasp, moaning just slightly. 

Rex heard a woman’s moan, and he looked over to where Hondo and Ahsoka were. The moan had come from her. She looked so uncomfortable and like she wanted to cry. Hondo kept pressing kisses along her neck and chest and Ahsoka looked to where Rex was and made eye contact with him.

“I’m so sorry,” she mouthed. Obi-Wan then entered the cantina again, lightsaber lit, a dark glint in his eyes. 

“Sorry to break up your little rendezvous, Hondo, but I believe we must be going. We have the crystals, and now you are going to let Ahsoka leave with us. If you think that you will cause any trouble with our leaving of the planet, you are sorely mistaken. If you lay one more finger on Ahsoka Tano ever again, you will not have to fear the Separatists or the Sith. You will have to worry about us,” Obi-Wan hissed, motioning to Rex and Anakin. 

Ahsoka flung herself off Hondo and ran to Anakin, whose arms were ready to hold her. She was shaking, and tears began to silently fall from her eyes. Rex walked over to Hondo, glared at him, then punched him in the face. Hondo laughed drunkenly, asking him to punch him again.

“I like the pain,” Hondo drawled with a bloody smile. 

Once again, Rex was pulled back by Anakin, who no longer had Ahsoka in his arms. Anakin gave him a look that told him that Hondo wasn’t worth it. Rex gave Hondo a look that could kill and turned to leave. Anakin followed, an anger in his chest again that felt too dark to be justified again. He wanted to hurt Hondo. But he tried to swallow his anger and send it to the Force. Right now, he needed to be calm for Ahsoka. 

Back on the ship, Ahsoka was already in her quarters. She stood in the shower, scrubbing angrily at her skin to try and get the feel of Hondo off of her. She felt dirty. Unclean. Impure. She hated it. Angry tears streamed down her face, mixing in with the water from the shower. Anxiety and fear rose to her chest. Ahsoka’s legs gave out. She fell to the floor of the shower. Her head fell into her hands, and she was now sobbing. 

How could they almost let it happen again. How could they let Hondo do that to her. She initiated the kiss, yes. But she didn’t want to. She had to. For the sake of the galaxy. If those crystals had fallen in to the hands of the Sith, the war would have been lost. But they didn’t stop her. They didn’t do anything to help her until it was too late. She could have continued talking but they took too long. 

Ahsoka sat crying in the shower until the steaming hot water turned cold. Soon her shaking from anxiety turned to shaking from the cold. All she wanted to do was sleep now. She had cried all of the tears that she could. But she was so tired that she was tempted to fall asleep in the shower. Her eyes began to flutter close when a small knock on the door woke her slightly up. It was either Anakin or Rex. She wasn’t sure she wanted to see either. 

“Ahsoka? Are you in there?” Rex called out. Ahsoka said nothing. 

“Ahsoka, I’m coming in, okay? I want to make sure you’re okay,” He continued. The door to the fresher room opened, and Rex saw Ahsoka shivering on the floor of the shower. Quickly, Rex turned off the shower and went to grab her some warm clothes. He wasn’t thinking clearly; Rex grabbed a pair of his boxers, sleep pants, and a loose shirt of his. 

Grabbing the towel on the counter, Rex wrapped it around Ahsoka, and pulled her to his chest. She was shaking so badly from the cold. Once Rex had Ahsoka mostly dried off, he grabbed the shirt. 

“Can I have your arm, ‘Soka? Please?” He asked gently, pressing a small kiss to her montrals. Ahsoka complied and allowed Rex to put on the shirt for her. Then he kneeled down to her feet to put on the loose boxers. Rex saw bruises on her thighs and hips, presumably from Hondo. He pressed a soft kiss on one of them, and Ahsoka stopped shaking a little bit. Putting the boxers and pants on her, Rex then pulled her close to his chest. He had already taken off his armor, which he was thankful for. Rex could feel her against him. 

“You are safe here, cyar’ika. I promise. I’m here. I love you. You are safe,” he murmured into the hollow space between her montrals. Rex led Ahsoka to her bed, and helped her get in. The poor Togruta was already half-asleep. 

“Goodnight, my love,” he whispered, not wanting to wake her up. As Rex turned to leave, Ahsoka mumbled something and reached out her hand to Rex. 

“Stay with me?” She asked, a few tears slipping out of her bright, blue eyes. Rex looked at her a moment, then nodded. 

“I’ll always stay with you.” Rex got in to the cold bed next to Ahsoka, not sure if she wanted him to touch her. Ahsoka rolled to face Rex, eyes wide awake. 

Ahsoka searched his eyes, looking for anger or annoyance or disgust. But she didn’t find what she was looking for. Instead, she found admiration and love. Ahsoka felt she didn’t deserve the love and admiration she got from Rex. She had kissed that disgusting pirate. She had moaned for him. She didn’t want to and it wasn’t real, but she did it. Ahsoka had done so many disgusting things with Hondo that day.

“Do you hate me, Rex?” Ahsoka whispered, scared to hear the answer. 

“I could never hate you, Ahsoka. Never,” Rex whispered back emphatically. He brought an arm to her face, running a coarse thumb across her soft cheek. Ahsoka closed her eyes, relishing the gentle way he touched her. 

“I’m so sorry we couldn’t protect you, cyar’ika. I’m sorry we used you like that again. I’m sorry that I let the scum touch you like that. I’m so, so, so sorry, my love. I hope you can forgive me,” Rex implored, a sensation of wetness on his cheek. He was crying. This time it was Ahsoka who ran a thumb across his cheek, wiping away the stray tear. She didn’t have to say it to know that Ahsoka didn’t blame Rex. 

Rex pulled Ahsoka to his chest and she rolled so that her back was against his chest. His heartbeat was strong and steady. While Ahsoka had gotten taller over the years, even with her montrals she was smaller than Rex. His head fit perfectly between the montrals and her back lekku felt comfortable against him. A strong arm went around Ahsoka and his hand found hers and they interlocked fingers. 

It felt right. Rex felt right and Ahsoka fit perfectly in his arms. This was the domestic feeling he had earlier that day of Florrum. Falling asleep in the arms of the one you love always felt right. That was more true now than ever.

Anakin didn’t come knocking to find Ahsoka and Rex for almost ten hours. Rex was awake, watching Ahsoka sleep, when he entered their shared quarters. While they weren’t intertwined anymore, Rex was still very close to Ahsoka. He faced her, running his thumb in gentle circles on her hand. Even when she had rolled away from him, she kept her hand in his. 

“Ahsoka, I swear- oh!” Anakin exclaimed, seeing his Captain and padawan together. Rex made a motion to stay quiet. Without letting go of her hand, he managed to get himself to a sitting position. It felt odd to be seen like this in front of his General.

“She’s been sleeping for at least ten hours. I can’t bear to wake her, General,” Rex whispered, using his free hand to brush a hand on her back lekku.

“I don’t blame you. When did this,” Anakin made a motion between Ahsoka and Rex, “-happen. I’m not mad, just so you know.”

“About a week ago.”

“Do you love her?” Anakin asked, voice and expression deadly serious. Rex looked up from watching Ahsoka to make eye contact with Anakin. 

“More than anything in the galaxy, General. More than I value my own life. Clones aren’t manufactured to have these kinds of feelings, you know,” Rex explained. 

“I know. Jedi aren’t supposed to have feelings like these as well,” Anakin countered. 

“I know. She knows that she can change her mind any time and I would let myself be reconditioned. I would allow it if that is what she wanted. Anakin,” Rex tested his General’s name on his tongue. “I swear that I will never do anything she does not want. I will never, ever force anything upon her. We are going to keep it a secret from our men. Do anything we can to make sure no one knows. I won’t let my attachment to her impact the soldier I am. And we both know it won’t impact the way she is a Jedi. I promise on my life that I will take care of her.”

Anakin looked at his sleeping padawan. This was the most relaxed and at peace Anakin had seen her in months. And it was because of Rex. He knew he would be a hypocrite if he didn’t allow them to be together. 

“Then you have my blessing, Rex. You make her feel safe and happy. That is all I want for her. But if you lay one finger on her that she doesn’t want or hurt her in any way, the Seppies will have nothing on me.”

“Understood, sir. Thank you.” 

Anakin left after that, letting Ahsoka sleep for another two hours before she woke up with morning sickness. She never found out that Anakin had come to visit them. Rex and Anakin were okay with that. She looked refreshed and rested. Rex thought she looked more beautiful than ever. Then again, he always thought she looked beautiful. 


	6. A Time for Pain and a Time For Healing

When the _Resolute_ had returned back to Coruscant, Ahsoka and Rex felt the most rested they had in a long time. They had spent quite a bit of time in their small quarters. The three rotation trip allowed them to rest and relax together. However, Ahsoka found that sometimes hyperspace did not agree with her. If they reached any form of turbulence, Ahsoka would be in the fresher, emptying the contents of her stomach. Rex hated to see her so uncomfortable. He figured it was part of her being pregnant. 

Ahsoka seemed to be handling that news well, but Rex couldn’t be sure. She wasn’t opening up about her feelings a whole lot. Rex knew that she was less anxious and her hands seemed to shake less. The next month or so passed fairly quickly as they were on leave. But sometimes Rex would wake up in the night and Ahsoka wouldn’t be by his side in bed. He would find her on the balcony of their quarters in the temple. 

“Ahsoka, come back to bed,” he would say softly, standing in the door to the balcony. Ahsoka would nod, wrapping her arms tighter around her body. A cool breeze brushed against her shoulder, making her shiver slightly. Rex would stay watching her, wrapping his thin robe around him a little tighter. 

Ahsoka watched the late night traffic of Coruscant pass by. She wanted to be a part of the business and anonymity of speeders and speeder bikes zipping through the sky. Someone could see a speeder pass by and never see it again in their lifetime. But in the Temple, she felt so known. The Council knew about her situation. They knew that she was pregnant and that she had been taken advantage of. 

She looked down at her stomach. It was starting to grow ever so slightly. Ahsoka could feel the Life-Force changing and evolving with every passing day. She put a hand on her slightly swollen stomach, closing her eyes.

This particular night, Ahsoka was thinking specifically about how the Council continued to use her as bait even when they hurt her in doing so. Rex stood behind Ahsoka, wrapping his arms around her, letting his head sit in the valley between her montrals. Rex noticed that her hands were over her belly. He too had notice the slight swell that was there now. He whispered to her, asking her to come back to bed. Pressing gentle kisses to the montrals and her back lekku, Rex thought that he would be able to get her back. 

“Rex, why do they keep using me?” Ahsoka asked, turning around to face Rex. He blinked at her, trying to understand her question. 

“Why does the Council continuously use me as bait for their stupid little assignments, telling me its for the good of the Republic. Am I no more than the slave I was on Zygerria, but instead of Molec Atai, my master is the Chancellor?” Ahsoka asked, her words more emphatic than before. “Am I nothing more than just a body to seduce men to get them to do what the Republic wants?”

Rex was speechless. He had never seen Ahsoka this way. She was getting angry and angry tears were slipping down her face. Rex opened his mouth to say something, but had no clue what to say. He shut his mouth quickly, going to take her hands in his. 

“No, Rex, don’t do that. Do be all sweet and caring and take my hands and pretend that everything is okay and that I’m overreacting. This time, I know I’m not. Tell me that they have never used me as a distraction because I’m an exotic, beautiful species that the galaxy loves to sexualize. Tell me that’s not true, Rex!” Ahsoka exclaimed. Her face was turning a deeper shade of orange and her lekku began to curl inward. Rex had never seen her so mad. He didn’t realize that her body reacted so much to her emotions. 

“You’re right, Ahsoka. They have been using you. And I am so, so sorry. If I had known that they were going to use you like that with that pirate scum, I would have tried to stop it. I should have fought for you. I’m so sorry,” Rex apologized, hoping she would calm a little. 

“I know, Rex, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened. Anakin. I need to talk to Anakin,” Ahsoka said suddenly, anger vanishing momentarily and going back inside and leaving to go to Anakin’s room. Rex realized what she was doing, and quickly followed after her. 

Ahsoka stormed down the hallways of the Temple, her bare feet slapping against the stone floors. Rex marveled momentarily at how the Temple looked at night. Ahsoka turned a corner and Rex almost missed it. Soon, they were stopping outside of Anakin’s quarters. Ahsoka paused, a look of hesitation on her face. Then, she steeled herself and rapped on the door three times. Rex knew that Ahsoka knew the code to Anakin’s door. 

A few moments later, a very sleepy looking Anakin answered the door. He looked confused, rubbing at his eyes, trying to get them focus. Once he realized who was at his door, Anakin sighed, stepping aside from the entrance. Ahsoka stormed in, Rex followed sheepishly. Anakin raised an eyebrow at Rex and Rex just shrugged. 

“Ahsoka, what are you doing here so late?” Anakin groaned, plopping himself down on the small futon in his quarters. “And why is Rex here as well?”

“I tried to stop her, General,” Rex shrugged again, rubbing a hand across his face. 

“Why, Anakin? Why?!” Ahsoka spat. “Why is it always me?” 

“What? Snips, what are you talking about?” Anakin asked, feeling more awake. 

“Why do they always use me? Why am used as bait and treated like meat they can throw to the wild lothcats? I’m a Jedi! I am more than my body! At least that is what I used to think. Now I am not so sure. All I’ve been these past few months is a distraction. I’m a competent Jedi. I am stronger than the Council and you and Obi-Wan ever give me credit for!” Ahsoka had angry tears streaming down her face, her lekku curling in on themselves. 

“Ahsoka, I’m so sorry. We never meant for you to get hurt,” Anakin started. 

“But I was! I was raped! I am pregnant with a child I don’t even want! I was used as a distraction and almost had to give myself to that pirate scum! I moaned for him, Anakin. And as he kissed me and used my body, all I could think about was how those damn slavers did the exact kriffing thing!” Ahsoka was nearly screaming at this point. Rex and Anakin had never seen her so full of anger. Anakin could feel her Force signature slip slightly darker than usual. He needed her to calm down. Rex looked over at Anakin, worrying at the slight look of fear on his General’s face. 

“Ahsoka! You have to believe me! Zygerria was a mistake. It was a complete oversight on Obi-Wan and myself’s part. We failed you in the worst possible way, Snips. And I hate that they used you like that way. If I thought that could have been a possibility, I never would have let them use you as the slave,” Anakin explained, moving closer to her to send soothing feelings through the force. 

“Obi-Wan and I didn’t want you to come to Florrum. We wanted you to stay on Coruscant. Heal a little bit more, spend more time meditating and with your men. But the Council insisted you go with us. We should have fought harder for you to stay back. You are worth so much more than just your body, Ahsoka. I-” Anakin’s voice caught in his throat. “I love you, Ahsoka. You are the best padawan a master could have wished for. You are like a little sister to me and I have failed you in the worst possible way. I pray to the Force that you can find it in your heart to forgive me. We never wanted you to get hurt.” 

Ahsoka’s breathing began to slow, her anger dissipating slowly. She fell, her knees giving out with so much pent up emotion having been released. Rex quickly moved to her side, wrapping his arms around her. Ahsoka began to cry, this time with a sense of relief. 

“Thank you, Anakin. I needed to hear that. I feel so used,” she managed to whisper through her tears. Rex pressed a small kiss to her temple, rocking her slightly in his arms. Anakin watched his gruff, sometimes grumpy Captain hold his padawan with such care. He had believed Rex before when he said that he loved Ahsoka, but Anakin was glad to see proof of it. 

Ahsoka felt less angry with Anakin and Obi-Wan after yelling at her master. He didn’t deserve it, but it was cathartic to do so. Anakin knew that she had needed to do so. That’s why he didn’t scold her for her insolence. 

Anakin knelt down by Rex and Ahsoka, placing his hand on her shoulder. Rex let go of Ahsoka, giving Anakin a look telling him he would leave. Ahsoka looked up at Rex, and he smiled, wiping a tear off her cheek, cupping her face in his hands. Ahsoka leaned in to his gentle touch. Rex placed a small, sweet kiss to her forehead, standing up to leave. Anakin wrapped an arm around Ahsoka and sat down next to her on the floor. 

“Are you okay, Snips? Like, really okay?” Anakin asked, furrowing his brows.

Ahsoka sighed. “I am doing better than I had been, that’s for sure. I feel a lot better after shouting at you, actually.”

Anakin laughed. “I’m glad that that helped.”

They sat in silence for a moment. Then Anakin looked down at Ahsoka’s waistline. He noticed her stomach had begun to grow. 

“Are you feeling okay? Rex had mentioned you’ve been feeling sick in the morning. We can get you something for that, I’m sure. You’ve also grown a little bit,” Anakin noted, hoping not to upset her. Ahsoka nodded, placing on her hands on her stomach. 

“It’s strange, really, how much has changed in a matter of months. Three months ago I was fighting droids left and right, hanging out with the boys almost every night. I was naive, really. Now I’m here. Pregnant with a half human-half Togrutan baby, barely able to go anywhere without someone there beside me. A weak, crumbling mess,” Ahsoka laughed, a bitter taste on her tongue. 

“You’re not a crumbling, weak mess. You went through something traumatic. I think its banthashit that the Jedi are expected to let feelings roll off our shoulders. Your hurt and fear are justified. But you cannot let it control you, Ahsoka. Promise me you won’t let yourself be controlled by your fear.” Anakin moved so he was facing Ahsoka. She promised him she would never let it happen. That seemed to satisfy him.

“Come on, up you go.” Anakin grunted out, standing up and pulling Ahsoka with him. “Let’s go to bed. Why don’t you stay with me tonight instead of Rex. Is that okay?”

Ahsoka wanted to say no. To tell Anakin that Rex needed her just as much as she needed him, but he would know she was lying. Rex had gone so long without Ahsoka and was just fine. “Alright, Skyguy. But only because I know if I say no you’ll get upset and overthink it.” 

Anakin feigned hurt, knowing she hit the nail on the head. They went back to his bedroom and got into bed, curling in to each other they had since Ahsoka had been a young padawan. 

“All we are missing is Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka yawned. Anakin laughed a little, but yawned as well. He was rather tired, having just fallen asleep when Ahsoka interrupted him (He had spent far too long on the comm with Padmé that night). The pair fell asleep rather quickly, Anakin snoring the entire time.

When the sun above Coruscant began to rise, Ahsoka was gone. She left early to go back to Rex. Ahsoka loved Anakin, but he was no comparison to the way Rex held her. It was different with Rex. She loved him in a way that Anakin never loved her. Rex was already awake, however, when she arrived. 

“Good morning, cyar’ika,” Rex commented, not looking up from his holopad. Ahsoka noticed that he had a small pair of wire glasses on. She hadn’t seen them before. 

“Morning. What’s with the glasses?” She asked, coming to stand behind him and rub his tense shoulders. She even put a little bit of Force healing into her massage. 

“Mmm, that’s very nice, thank you. And these are just for when I’m working on paperwork and such. Kix told me I’m straining my eyes too much when I work. I guess these are supposed to help,” Rex explained, taking them off. He placed his large hands on top of Ahsoka’s, and brought one to his lips. 

“I love you, you know?” Rex murmured into her hand. Ahsoka smiled down at him. Rex scooted his chair backwards a little bit and pulled her to him, setting her down on his lap. He ran one hand down a lekku, tenderly. 

“I know you do. I love you, too, Rex. Can we pretend for a moment?” Ahsoka asked, leaning in to rest her forehead against his. 

“If pretending makes you happy, then I will.”

“Well, I want to pretend that the war is over, and you are considered a free man to the Republic. That you are free to be whatever you want to be. I have left the Jedi Order to be with you,” Ahsoka began. 

“Is that what you want? To leave the Order?” Rex asked gently. 

“I don’t know, honestly. But that is what I want in this moment. We are both free to be whoever we want. This child is actually your child,” Ahsoka choked out, placing her and Rex’s hand on her belly. Rex looked down, confused, then back up again. Ahsoka had tears welling in her eyes. 

“Please, Rex, just let me pretend for one moment.” She whispered, blinking away said tears. Rex nodded, letting her continue. 

“We have this baby, and we raise it together. It’s a little boy that has your smile and eyes, and my bright orange skin. He’s a fighter and stronger than either of us will ever be. He’s sensitive to the Force and you don’t know what to do when you find him as a baby floating his toys in the playroom. We live on a bright blue planet with plants and flowers everywhere,” Ahsoka rambled, getting more excited with each word.

“And I will love him like I love you, even more so. Because he’s ours. Not the Republic’s. Not the Order’s. He is ours and we are his,” Rex whispered, pulling Ahsoka close to him. Ahsoka laughed. The musical sound warmed Rex’s chest. It had been so long since he had heard her laugh. 

They sat in the chair dreaming about the future and talked about how they would have beautiful children and travel the galaxy with their half human-half Togrutan family. Rex had never even dreamed about what a future could look like. Ahsoka had never wanted to pursue her hidden dreams more than she did in Rex’s arms that night. They sat together until they saw the sun on Coruscant rise. When it finally did, Ahsoka had nearly fallen back asleep in Rex’s arms. 

“‘Soka, we should probably get ready for the day. Anakin will be waiting for us. We have a meeting in,” Rex paused to look at his watch. “Fifteen minutes.” 

Ahsoka groaned and got up to go put on decent clothes. “You know, Rex, I’m glad at least one of us knows what they are doing.” 

Rex laughed, shoving her to her bedroom to get changed. He already had his blacks on, so all he needed to do was slap some armor on. They were ready with five minutes to spare. Quickly, they made their way to the meeting room Anakin had sent a comm message about. Anakin and Obi-Wan were waiting for them, cups of caf ready the way both of them liked. Ahsoka was grateful that her stomach wasn’t acting up. She drank half of the cup eagerly while she waited for the meeting to start. 

“We have to leave again today for another mission. However, this one is much more pleasant than the last. We are on assignment to the planet of Kiros. The people are so grateful for our work with them that they have invited us to their annual Festival of the Stars. The Order thinks that it would be a good opportunity for our padawan to learn some diplomatic skills,” Obi-Wan explained, a small smile on his face. 

“In other words, we are on assignment to go to a party,” Anakin smirked. His former master rolled his eyes, but knew that Anakin was right. 

They left shortly after the meeting, Ahsoka nearly bouncing with excitement to see her people again. There were so many things that she was going to want to ask them. Rex was wearing one of his few sets of civilian clothes and Ahsoka couldn’t stop looking at him. He couldn’t help but have a small smile on his face as she talked about how it had been almost 15 years since she last spoke with someone of her own kind. She was so glad the _Resolute_ was a fast ship. 

Obi-Wan was glad to have a few days to sit and do nothing. While he was by no means old, he wasn’t as young as Anakin or Ahsoka. The war had put a lot of strain on him and he was very tired and sore all the time. As Obi-Wan sat and watched Rex and Ahsoka interact, he couldn’t help but smile. His grandpadawan was doing so much better than she had been the past few months. Absently, he also noticed how her stomach had slightly swelled as well. 

Anakin was practically high with happiness. Ahsoka was laughing. Laughing. Laughing! Obi-Wan was smiling, too. That didn’t happen as much anymore. War changed him. But they were altogether still. And for once, they were happy together. Anakin was going to get outrageously drunk and Obi-Wan couldn’t stop him.

Rex wanted nothing more than to kiss Ahsoka right then and there. Her smiles were beyond beautiful. Her lekku and montrals were flushed a darker blue with excitement. Rex placed a hand on her leg, giving it a squeeze. He knew he shouldn’t with Obi-Wan and Anakin there. But her lips were in a smile and they looked so perfect in that smile. 

“Rex? Hello? Coruscant to Rex, you there?” Ahsoka giggled. Rex flushed slightly. 

“I’m here. You are so beautiful, I got distracted.” Rex took his hand in hers and, feeling very brazen, brought her digits to his lips. Ahsoka giggled again, reminding him that the two other Jedi could see them. 

“I want to kiss you, Ahsoka,” Rex whispered, bringing her other hand to his lips as well. Anakin looked over at the pair, and rolled his eyes. Obi-Wan merely looked the other way. 

“Then kiss me, Rex.” 

Rex was a good soldier. He followed orders. Her lips were sweeter than he remembered. Softer than he remembered. Rex placed a hand on the side of her face, pulling her close. Anakin looked over rolled his eyes yet again. However, he couldn’t be mad. They reminded him of how him and Padmé used to be. How they still were. Obi-Wan’s heart twinged for his own love, wishing she was there. But he couldn’t help but be glad that Ahsoka was so clearly happy. 

“Is that better, Captain?” Ahsoka whispered against his lips after a brief kiss. Rex laughed.

“Everything is better when I am with you,” Rex whispered back. He sat back in his chair and pulled out his holotab to start reading, a small smirk on his lips. Ahsoka leaned back in to her seat and saw the look Anakin was giving her and rolled her eyes. 

_“Just so you know, you are no longer allowed to give me trouble for how I act around a certain Senator,”_ Anakin teased through the Force. 

Ahsoka had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes again. _“Me? Give you trouble? Never.”_


	7. There is Light in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a moment of happiness for our favorite Clone/Jedi power couple.

The trip to Kiros was short. Even though they were there just to go to the festival as a thanks for saving their people, Ahsoka still felt a sense of anxiety to going back to the planet where all the pain started. She also felt nervous that they would not accept her due to her role in the war. Despite this she was excited to see more of her people, learn more of their culture. 

The ship had landed and Ahsoka, Anakin, Rex, and Obi-Wan waited for the door to open and for the governor to greet them. Anakin and Obi-Wan weren’t nervous. They had gone to festivals and such before as thanks for some daring act of kindness. Rex was a clone. He was preparing for the amount of social interaction and probable culture he would be receiving in the next three days. In short, Rex was very nervous. 

Ahsoka bounced on the balls of her feet in anticipation. Anakin looked over at her and smirked. Obi-Wan, who stood next to Ahsoka, placed a calming hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with an anxious thank you, taking a deep breath. Obi-Wan smiled, knowing how nervous his grandpadawan was to meet her people. He knew that they would love her as much as the Jedi did.

Rex stood on Ahsoka’s other side. He wondered what would happen if he took Ahsoka’s hand in his right then. The thought of him doing so made his palm sweat more than they already were. Wiping a hand on his civvie clothes, Rex brushed his hand against Ahsoka’s. Shocked, she looked up at him with a confused gaze. Rex responded with taking her hand and interlocking their fingers. 

Her hands were calloused from years of lightsaber training. His from a lifetime of military servitude. But yet Ahsoka’s hands were so soft and gentle. Rex had seen Ahsoka throw droids and people across rooms and hallways with the Force. Those hands had power in them. When she touched him, it was always gentle and loving. 

Ahsoka could say the same thing about Rex, really. His hands were large, strong, and calloused from his DC rifles, weight lifting, and other activities the clones did to stay in shape. Ahsoka had seen Rex fight the other clones in practice combat and Rex almost always won. When he held her, however, he was sweet and tender. Rex would give her featherlight touches and gentle caresses. His hand fit perfectly in hers. It was as if they were made for each other. Ahsoka thought if any other clone had held her hand or had kissed her it wouldn’t have felt the same.

Giving his hand a squeeze, Ahsoka turned to the Rex. “What if they don’t like me?” She voiced her concerns. 

“They will, ‘Soka. They will,” Rex assured. 

“We are so different. What am I going to connect with them on? The Kirosian Togrutas are peaceful, artistic people. I’m a Commander in the Clone War. I’m a Jedi. They thrive with arts and are eloquent and soft spoken and I’m brash and can’t say a single beautiful thing! They’re going to hate me!” Ahsoka rambled, getting more and more flustered. 

Rex gave her hand a squeeze and gave her a look. “Ahsoka, they will love you. You see beauty in things you don’t realize are there. And you’re not brash. You may not be able to say the most pretty words, but you still say some nice things.” 

“Don’t worry, Snips. They already love you. When the governor asked us to come visit, he specifically asked that the young Togruta girl Ahsoka Tano must go as well,” Anakin added. Ahsoka felt better after hearing that they requested for her.

Before their conversation could continue any further, the governor finally arrived. He was wearing a beautiful headdress and extravagant purple robes. Ahsoka marveled at the color of both the robes and his skin. It wasn’t a sienna tone like hers was. It was closer to a yellow color. 

“Governor Roshti, thank you so much for inviting us to the Festival of the Stars. We are honored to be here,” Ahsoka exclaimed, bowing slightly. 

“My dear Ahsoka, the honor is ours! We are so pleased to have one of our own returned to us, if only for a little while. Come, let me show you to where you and your band of brothers will be staying.” Roshti took Ahsoka’s arm and linked it in his, walking with her. “It is not every day I get the honor to walk with a Jedi. Not to mention a beautiful one that is a Togruta, might I add.”

Roshti led them to a building the size of the _Resolute_ that was all for them. There were for large suites prepared. Each one had a large bedroom, a full refresher with a shower and a separate bathtub. Rex was amazed by how nice everything was. After living in barracks, and the Temple too for a short time, for nearly his entire life, he wasn’t used to such comforts. 

Ahsoka felt like a little girl when she walked in. The Jedi didn’t allow themselves to have such frivolities. It was simple clothes, simple beds, simple simple simple. But the Kirosians had prepared what was a palace compared to her quarters back on Coruscant. She couldn’t help but giggle looking at everything. But her giggles turned to a gasp when there was a bright blue dress that was the style of dress women on Kiros wore. It looked to be a formal dress. 

Ahsoka was amazed at the beauty of it. She ran a gentle hand across the sleeve, fearing if she wasn’t gentle it would be destroyed. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door, and Ahsoka assumed it was Rex or Anakin, so she yelled for them to come in. 

“Do you think this dress is for me?” She asked absently. 

“Oh yes, young Ahsoka. This is a part of our thanks to you,” a women answered. Ahsoka looked up, embarrassed. 

“I apologize, I thought you were my master. The dress is beautiful,” Ahsoka explained. 

“Thank you, I was the one who sewed it by hand for you. My name is Citali. I will be your mistress while you stay on Kiros. Please, don’t hesitate to ask for anything. I’m at your service, my lady. The dress is for the festival tomorrow evening. It is tradition to give the guests of honor traditional Kirosian garb to wear to the festival. Your masters and soldier were given robes as well.” Citali sat down at the table and motioned for Ahsoka to join her. Ahsoka sat down and waited for Citali to speak again. 

“My dear, you are with child, are you not?” Citali had no qualms about asking personal questions, apparently.

“Yes, I am. How did you know?” Ahsoka was concerned she was more swollen than she realized. 

“Your scent. You see, Togrutas are very sensitive to scent and such things when it comes to our own kind. I fear you haven’t learned much about your species and reproduction, have you?” Citali took Ahsoka’s hands in her own. 

“No, I haven’t. I only know that we can interspecies breed with humans and thats the only ones.”

“Then you know who the father is? Is it that handsome soldier? I saw the way he looked at you, young one,” Citali teased. Ahsoka was feeling very comfortable with the other woman. She seemed to be just a few years older than she was. 

“No, he is not the father. It was not a choice, so I’m not sure who the father is, unfortunately. Citali, how long do Togrutans stay pregnant?” 

“We are with child for eight months. Not quite as long as humans, but you may be closer to nine if the child is a hybrid. How far along are you?” Citali asked, an apology for her earlier comment in her tone. 

Ahsoka had to think about how long it had been since Zygerria. It was close to three months now, probably. That means that Rex had been with her for almost two months. Two happier months. 

“I believe about three,” Ahsoka answered softly. Citali looked at her, doing the mental math of when it could have happened.  
“I had heard that you had been a slave on that mission as well, no? I’m so sorry, Ahsoka. I hadn’t realized. Please forgive me.” 

“You didn’t know, Citali, but thank you.”

Citali suddenly gasped and stood up. “The dress! It may not fit you anymore if you had grown! Come, you must try it on before the Festival! We can’t have our guest of honor in a dress that doesn’t fit right!” 

Ahsoka laughed and went to go try the dress on. It was floor length with sheer loose sleeves. The dress had a train on it, and Ahsoka felt a little silly. She was so used to wearing dresses that she could fight in, but she would even be able to clip her lightsabers to this dress. Ahsoka supposed that wasn’t the point of the dress. The way the dress was made left plenty of room for Ahsoka’s swollen belly. Citali smiled in satisfaction.

“You look absolutely amazing, Ahsoka. Please, give me a twirl!” Citali laughed. Ahsoka did, giggling. She really felt like a princess. Ahsoka wondered if Padmé ever had a dress like this. 

Then, there was a knock on the door, and Citali went to answer it. It was Rex. When he saw Ahsoka, his jaw dropped slightly, then his expression settled into a small smile that was the goofiest Ahsoka had ever seen. 

“My lady, I’ll be waiting in the courtyard if you need me. I’ll let you two be,” Citali smirked at Ahsoka, leaving quickly. 

“Well, Captain, how do I look?” Ahsoka teased. Rex was starting to recover from seeing Ahsoka. He sighed, running a hand over his head. 

“Stars, Commander,” Rex mumbled. “I’m going to have to fight off more then just the Seppies if the boys ever see you like this.” He walked over to where Ahsoka was standing and gave her a full once-over. 

“Careful, Captain. You forget that I am your commanding officer,” Ahsoka smirked, stepping closer to him and placing a hand on his chest. Rex sucked in a breath.

Rex brought a hand to her face and pulled her close and gently pressed his lips against hers. Unable to help himself, he placed a hand on her hip and pulled her even closer. Ahsoka giggled and then slipped out of his grasp. 

“Tease,” Rex chided. “But really, Ahsoka. You look absolutely amazing. And I’m not kidding when I say the boys would absolutely devour you if they saw you. Why are you dressed so nice? And why are there matching robes in my room as well? Am I supposed to get dressed? I’ve never been on a mission like this before,” Rex rambled, running an anxious hand over his hair. 

Ahsoka explained why she had the dress and why she was wearing it. While she explained, she couldn’t help but stare at herself in the mirror. Ahsoka had never worn such elegant and expensive garments. She felt as if she wasn’t made to wear such a thing.

The rest of the day and the next morning passed without any significance. They had a small feast for them the first night. There was plenty to eat and to drink, and Anakin and Obi-Wan looked the most relaxed Ahsoka had seen them in so long. They deserved to be relaxed. The war had aged them all. When Ahsoka had met Obi-Wan, his hair was still fully ginger, now there was some grey starting to form at his temples. A few grey hairs in his beard as well. But that night Obi-Wan looked at least five years younger without all the tension in his body. 

Rex couldn’t keep his eyes off of Ahsoka the entire night. For once, they weren’t in the restrictions of being in the military. Being a Jedi and a Clone Captain. They were just them. Just Rex and Ahsoka. Anakin couldn’t help but feel his brotherly sense of overprotection when Rex and Ahsoka walked over to the dining hall together, hand in hand. 

“Since when was this a thing? Not to say I’m surprised, but how long have you known?” Obi-Wan asked Anakin, pointing to the couple as they walked back to their quarters. Anakin snorted. 

“They really are being quite obvious today, aren’t they? It’s been about two months, I think. I hope she knows what she’s doing, having a hidden relationship,” Anakin sighed. He missed Padmé, having seen his padawan with her love. 

While they started the night in their separate rooms, Ahsoka ended up staying in Rex’s room. The bed was large, but yet they woke up intertwined. They spent most of the morning lounging around once they got dressed. But about two hours before lunch Citali hunted Ahsoka down to prepare for the festival. 

Citali had run a bath that was supposed be very relaxing for pregnant Togrutans. Ahsoka sunk down into the water, feeling a a load of a tension leave her back and shoulders almost immediately. It smelled of flowers and a sweetness Ahsoka couldn’t quite name. Citali used a special soap to wash her montrals and lekku. Once the water was cold, Ahsoka got out and dried off. Citali had left her a robe to put on. 

Before Ahsoka put the robe on, she looked in the mirror, staring at her body. It looked pretty much the same as it normally did. It was littered with scars and white markings similar to her face. But her stomach had swelled ever so slightly. It would be six more months until she would be flat again. Blinking away the few tears that had gathered in her eyes, Ahsoka put the robe on and went to Citali. 

Soon, Ahsoka was ready. She had the beautiful gown on, her montrals and lekku were shiny, and she was wearing a brand new headdress that they made her for saving them. Ahsoka felt like a goddess. 

She was to meet the rest of the group at the entrance to their temporary home. The rooms were on the second floor. Ahsoka began the descent down the broad stairs, going slowly as to not trip on the dress. Thankfully, the Togrutans didn’t wear heels. They went barefoot in dresses like this. 

Rex got elbowed by Anakin and he looked up from the sleeve he was trying to fix. Ahsoka was going down the stairs and she looked more beautiful than anything any of the men had seen. Anakin had a smirk on his face, Obi-Wan a soft smile on his lips. Rex, however, was absolutely dumbstruck. His jaw had dropped, his eyes almost comically wide. He closed his mouth once she was at the bottom of the stairs.

“Well, boys, how do I look?” She grinned. Anakin shook his head and told her she looked great. Obi-Wan gave her a small kiss on the forehead and told her she looked stunning.

“Ahsoka- Commander- I-” Rex sputtered out. 

“Snips, you broke him,” Anakin teased. 

“Ahsoka, you look more beautiful than then all of the stars in the galaxy combined,” Rex said, never letting his gaze drift from her. Citali told them it was time for them to go to the festival. Rex offered her his arm, and Ahsoka and him walked together to where they would have the Festival. 

The Festival was a twenty-four hour celebration once a year when there would be twelve hours of light and twelve hours of darkness under two bright moons. There would be live music and dancing and feasting and any kind of celebratory activities one could think of. But the opening ceremony was why the four of them were there. 

“Welcome, my people and our honored guests. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, one who entered slavery with us and was our way out of slavery. Master Kenobi, please accept our gift of a hand woven robe, woven with leaves of Togrute tree. These leaves will grant you serenity in times of peril, just as you brought us back to our serene home.” Governor Roshti walked over to where Obi-Wan stood and gave him the cloak. It was simple grey color, and Ahsoka had to refrain from joking about how he wasn’t allowed to lose this one. 

“Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, we give you a gift of a ceremonial hand. Traditionally, it would be just a glove for our honored guest, but we thought that the hand was more fitting. It was crafted out of the wood of the Togrute, and decorated with stones from our moons.” Anakin looked as if he was trying very hard to not laugh, but he thanked Roshti for the thoughtful gift. Then, he took off his robotic hand and put the ceremonial one. It worked just as well as the robotic. 

“Clone Captain Rex, we give you a gift of a spear, in remembrance of the fight you won on the wretched planet we were slaves on. This spear has been in our culture for centuries, but we are peaceful people now. We no longer need such utensils of violence. Please accept our gift.” 

Rex accepted the gift, giving Governor Roshti a sharp salute. It looked a little silly in the blue robes he was in, but the sentiment was the same. 

“Young Ahsoka, you are wearing our gift to you. This dress and headdress are the garb of a queen. While our people are a democracy now, our queens of the past would wear such clothing and headdresses. The blue of your dress represents bravery, selflessness, and new life,” Roshti explained, eyes flickering down to her stomach ever so slightly. “We hope you wear the headdress proudly from here on out in remembrance of our people.” 

Ahsoka bowed to Roshti, and he bowed to her. Rex watched Ahsoka from his place on the stage, and he felt a strange sense of pride for her. Anakin was practically glowing with pride. His padawan was essentially crowned queen of Kiros, minus actually being the queen. And she looked so beautiful. Anakin would have to take a holophoto for Padmé. Perhaps even for the other men in the 501st. Anakin was sure that they would love to see her so dressed up. 

Once they were given the gifts, the sun had hit the centerpiece of the stage in just the right way for the flowers to bloom fully. An aroma of flora and the sweetness Ahsoka had smelt earlier in the day. Sun beams went in different directions and the sun hit the Togrutas montrals in a way that made the stripes glow. Ahsoka didn’t know that they could glow. 

Soon, they began to dance. The band started playing an upbeat lyrical song. The other Togrutas began to dance to the beat of the drum. Ahsoka watched her people and laughed along with them. One younger male Togruta grabbed her hand and pulled her into the dancing. She let out a squeal of excitement, and accepted his invitation. They taught her how to do the line dance. 

Rex watched her, a soft smile on his face. Ahsoka was flushed with excitement. Anakin came over and sat down next to Rex, giving him a glass of a sparkling drink. Anakin called it champagne. They sat in companionable silence for a moment before Anakin spoke up. 

“She’s really something, isn’t she?” Anakin looked over at Rex. 

“Yes, sir. She really is. She looks at home here. Fits in well.” There was the tiniest hint of sadness in his voice. 

“She’s not going to stay, Rex. Trust me. She loves the Order and you far too much to not come back to us. Look, I know how you two feel about each other and I respect her decision. But I know how difficult it is to keep a relationship secret. And I want Ahsoka to be happy. So, just for tonight, love her. Love her openly. You may never get another chance to have a night like this. A night with wine, a night with dancing, a night where love and hope are present in everything there is. Kiss her in the open. Under the stars. Please Rex, let her love you, too.” Anakin downed the last of his drink, then stood up to go get another.

Rex looked into his drink, not wanting to drink the delicious beverage too quickly. Then he looked up to Ahsoka, who was being swung around by a Togrutan man who looked to be about the same age as her. At the end of the dance, he kissed her hand, leading her back to where Rex was sitting. 

“I believe the lady waits for you, my friend,” the man laughed. Ahsoka giggled, reaching out her hands to Rex.

“Alright, Commander. You’re going to have to teach me to dance. Experience outranks everything,” Rex smirked, taking her outstretched hands. 

As they reached where the others were dancing, the band switched to a slower paced song. Lovers could be seen throughout the Festival area. Men and women, and even a few same sex couples. But none of them were quite like Ahsoka and Rex. A clone with a Togruatan Jedi. 

“Back at the Temple, we were taught different basic dances in case we ever needed to go on a diplomatic mission. I was usually the best at the slow dances. Here,” Ahsoka grabbed Rex’s hand and placed one on her waist, then other in her own hand. “Now this is just a two-step. One, two. One, two. Just like that.”

Rex tried not to step on her bare feet as they danced. Eventually, Ahsoka was just leaning on his chest and they were swaying back and forth to the music. There were three slow songs in a row. Ahsoka just wanted to stay in that moment forever. She could hear the steady beat of Rex’s heart and the steady beat of the drum. Rex pulled away at one point, a hand leaving her waist to cup her face. 

He ran his thumb over her cheek, wanting to kiss her. It felt wrong in front of everyone there. But who were they going to tell. There was no reason for them to be ashamed on that beautiful planet. Anakin had even given his blessing. 

Before Rex could make a decision, it was made for him. Ahsoka leaned in to him and pressed her lips against his. They were soft and her mouth tasted like purple punch that was available for those who couldn’t have alcohol. Rex deepened the kiss, pulling her close to him. After a moment, they pulled apart, breathless. Rex kept his forehead against hers and Ahsoka made a noise that was almost like a purr from a lothcat. 

“Did you just, uhm, purr?” Rex asked, grinning. 

“Maybe,” Ahsoka laughed. Rex smiled against her lips, then peppering her cheeks with soft kisses that made her laugh even more. 

Across the way, Anakin was sitting with a slightly drunk Obi-Wan. The Festival was already six hours in to the hours of light. The pair of Jedi watched their padawan and the Clone Captain. 

“This is what she needed, Ani,” Obi-Wan sighed into his empty glass. Anakin ignored the old nickname. 

“It is. I think it was Rex needed as well. They are quite the pair. I think it’s the will of the Force that they are together. They deserve this,” Anakin agreed. “Although, I never would have taken Rex for such a romantic as he is. Slow dancing? He must really love her. If only the boys could see him now.” 

Obi-Wan pulled out a small holocamera. He handed it to Anakin, who then proceeded to take pictures of the Festival and of Rex and Ahsoka. Out of all the photos Anakin took, he had a clear favorite. 

At the end of one dance, Ahsoka and Rex had their foreheads together. Their hands were interlocked at their sides. Rex had a small smile on his face and Ahsoka a look of pure relief and joy. If anyone saw that picture of them, they would see how in love they were. On Kiros, months after the Festival took place, they would still talk about the forbidden love between the Clone and the Jedi. Their love was stronger than the Force itself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! Sorry it was late, I'm a college student so I don't always have time to write this when I've got papers due! Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
> Also, your comments bring me so much joy and validation lol so please let me know what you think about the chapter!


	8. Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My take on the events on Onderon. Sorry if you like Lux.

After the trip to Kiros, Ahsoka felt at peace. Rex and her had spent so much time together just being together. But as with most good things, their time together had to come to an end. Once they arrived back to Coruscant, they were put back on the ship to go to Onderon. 

Anakin, Rex, and Ahsoka were going to teach the rebels how to defend themselves against the Separatist troops that had occupied their planet. It had been three years since Ahsoka had last been to Onderon, nearly two years since she last saw Lux Bonteri. Her heart twinged slightly at the thought of him. When he had betrayed her and left, her heart was broken. Lux had convinced her she loved him. 

When the crew landed, Lux was waiting for them. When he saw Ahsoka was there, a brilliant smile on his handsome face. Ahsoka gave him a smile that was just as wide, and Lux came up to her and gave her a big hug.

“I’ve missed you, Ahsoka Tano. It’s good to see you. It’s been what, a year now? Look how the little Jedi has grown!” Lux laughed, spinning Ahsoka around.

“I think it was two years ago, actually. It’s good to see you, too, Lux. Finally grown into those broad shoulders,” Ahsoka smirked. “How have you been? Last I saw you, you were grieving the loss of your mother.” 

Ahsoka’s face grew somber. Senator Bonteri was a kind woman, though her political ideas were slightly shifted from what Ahsoka would have liked. Ahsoka remembered how much Lux loved his mother.

“It has been hard at times, I admit. But her death showed me the way to the light. That, and you.” Lux grabbed Ahsoka’s hand and brought it to his lips. “It really is good to see you, Ahsoka.” 

Anakin and Rex watched the interaction from a few meters away. Anakin merely rolled his eyes at Lux’s antics. Rex, however, gripped the blasters on his hips a little tighter then necessary. Anakin, having noticed, elbowed Rex. 

“Lux is just a friend, Rex. There was nothing, that I know of at least, that happened between them. He’s just a bit of a flirt. You have nothing to worry about,” Anakin whispered. Rex sighed, letting go of the blasters and the tension in his shoulders. Ahsoka looked over, waving them over to Lux and herself. 

Lux explained the situation to them, that none of them were fighters but that they wanted to be. The young rebel wanted the Republic’s help to train their men so they could be more than just terrorists. It would be Rex and Ahsoka’s job to teach them how to fight without getting their hands dirty. 

The first day of training went without a hitch. Lux introduced Ahsoka to his friends Saw and Steela, a brother-sister duo that could fight. The entire time, Lux found any reason to be close to Ahsoka and touch her in any way that he could. Ahsoka didn’t mind a whole lot. Lux wouldn’t do anything that she wouldn’t want him to. She was getting a little tired of him being so close, though. 

So was Rex. He knew that there was no reason he should be jealous. Ahsoka was off-limits to anyone because of her being a Jedi, so Lux wouldn’t try anything. Right? That night, Rex wanted to assuage his fears about Lux and ask Ahsoka if there had been anything between them.

“I’m afraid they aren’t going to be able to fight, Rex. They seem more interested in impressing one another or impressing me that they can’t channel those emotions into their fighting!” Ahsoka exclaimed, starting to tear off her armor and get ready for bed.

“Seems like that one kid is trying to impress you quite a bit. What was his name? Rooks?” Rex asked, trying to hide his jealousy in his voice. Ahsoka paused what she was doing to look at him. 

“Do you mean Lux? What are you trying to imply, Rex?” Ahsoka asked, crossing her arms. 

“I’m not implying anything, ‘Soka. I just think he’s been a little friendly for someone who used to be a Seppie,” he shrugged. 

“That Seppie is my friend, Rex. And that’s just how he is. He’s not going to do anything. Besides, he was the one who left me, so he has no right to try anything,” Ahsoka rambled. 

“So he did try something!” 

“It was years ago!”

“What happened between you?” Rex felt the angry pains of jealousy in his chest. 

“It doesn’t matter, Rex. It’s in the past,” Ahsoka cried. Her love for Lux was in the past.   
“It matters to me. What happened?” Rex wanted to punch the stupid Seppie for clearly hurting Ahsoka.

“I loved him, Rex. It was stupid and we were young and nothing more than one kiss came from it. We were in the kind of love that happens once and it never lasts, Rex. He was a distraction. Nothing more. But he did break my heart and betrayed me. It is all in the past now. Please, Rex. Don’t doubt me again or ask me about Lux ever again.” Ahsoka had frustrated tears falling down her cheeks. 

Rex felt awful. “I never doubted you, cyare. Never for a moment.” 

Rex reached up to brush the tears away from Ahsoka’s face, but she stepped away. His heart clenched and he knew he had messed up. Ahsoka told him she was going to go on a little walk to meditate, and he nodded. 

Rex had messed up. Big time. He never should have asked about Lux. Anakin had said nothing happened, and Rex should have left it at that. But he didn’t. And to make things worse, he made Ahsoka cry. That was something he had never wanted to do. Rex wondered if there had been any other times that he had made her cry without knowing. 

Sighing, the clone captain sat down in the tent they set up, pulling out the picture Anakin had given him from Kiros. They looked so happy in that picture. Now Rex had messed it all up. He ruined the one good thing he had allowed himself. Stupid clone. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Rex started hitting his head against his helmet, mumbling “stupid, stupid, stupid” under his breath. Maybe he would knock some sense in to him.

This was how Rex dealt with things. It was how he dealt after Umbarra. It was how he dealt with Zygerria. And now it was how he would deal with Ahsoka leaving him. He was stupid to think it could last. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. 

Rex’s head started to hurt after a while. By the time it started to really hurt, Ahsoka came back, and she saw him on the floor muttering to himself and hitting his head. Ahsoka slowly knelt in front of Rex, putting her hands on his over the helmet. Rex looked up, shock on his face as well as some tears. This wasn’t the first time Ahsoka had found him like this. After Umbarra. After Zygerria. Almost any mission where something went horrendously wrong. 

Ahsoka moved Rex’s arms to set the helmet down, and she slowly took off one hand from said helmet and made him relax his hands. Looking towards where he was hitting himself, there was a small welt that had started to form. She sighed, cupping his face with her hand. 

“Rex,” Ahsoka whispered, leaning in close to gently kiss the bump on his forehead. “Talk to me. Talk to me, cyar’ika. What are you thinking about?”

“I’ve ruined everything, haven’t I?” Rex asked softly. He sounded so young and innocent when he asked. It broke Ahsoka’s heart just a little. 

“What? No, my love. You haven’t ruined anything. We just had a little argument, that’s all,” Ahsoka gave him a soft smile, brushing away a tear that had escaped from his eyes. “I love you, Rex. A little disagreement isn’t going to change that.”

“You left,” he argued, a small pout on his face. 

“I needed to meditate, Rex. I was letting my emotions control me. As a Jedi, you know I can’t do that. It is hard, but I needed to let my anger go to the Force. I wasn’t angry with you, Rex. I was just angry.” Ahsoka rubbed his back, having him found himself in her arms. She kissed his temple. 

“We are quite the pair, are we not? Two broken people that must soldier on, day after day,” Ahsoka noted. Rex gave a soft chuckle. 

“Was that pun intentional?” He asked, sitting back to where he was before. 

“No, it wasn’t, actually,” Ahsoka laughed. “I’ll go get some ice so that doesn’t swell anymore, okay? I’ll be right back.” 

Ahsoka got up and walked to where Lux had claimed as a mess hall. She hoped that it would be empty so she could grab the ice and leave. However, Lux was in there working on some paperwork. He had a bottle of amber colored liquid next to him as he worked. No glass. Ahsoka stopped in trepidation, the small smile from when she was with Rex gone. 

“Ahsoka! It’s rather late for a snack, isn’t it?” Lux joked when he saw her in the entry way. His face was flushed and she could tell that he had been drinking for awhile. 

“I’m just getting an ice pack for someone with a sore muscle. That’s all,” Ahsoka explained curtly, walking past Lux. However, she did not get very far as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. Ahsoka tried to pull her hand away, but she couldn’t. Lux had grown stronger than he seemed. 

“Lux, what are you doing?” Ahsoka asked, trying to stay calm. 

“I just want to see you, Ahsoka. It’s not so often that a beautiful woman like you visits Onderon. You’ve gotten more beautiful since the last time I saw you.” Lux brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “Remember what happened the last time I saw you? Those Mandalorians thinking you were my betrothed.”

Lux pulled Ahsoka close to him and she tried to fight to get out his grasp, but he wouldn’t let her. 

“We kissed last time we met. Ahsoka, I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I left you two years ago. I’ve regretted it ever since, dove. Let me make it up to you,” Lux exclaimed, leaning in for a kiss. It was so sudden that Ahsoka didn’t recognize what was happening until his lips were on hers. It felt like a memory from an easier, happier time. His mouth was sweet like the hot chocolate they shared on the ship after leaving the cold planet. Ahsoka liked the kiss. But it wasn’t right. Ahsoka pulled away from Lux and shoved him away from her. 

“No, Lux. Don’t try this. Don’t do this. Don’t kiss me then promise me to stay when you know I cannot be with you. I cannot be with anyone, Lux. You know that. I’m a Jedi. It’s not right. And even if I was willing to forget that part of the code, it wouldn’t be with you,” Ahsoka cried. Lux looked as if he had been slapped. Ahsoka had said what she said. She wasn’t about to take it back when it was how she truly felt. “You broke my heart, Lux. I’m not about to let you do it again.” 

Ahsoka stormed out of the mess hall, a few tears escaping from her eyes when she returned to her tent. Rex looked up from the holotab he was reading, starting to ask about the ice when he saw Ahsoka wiping away some tears with no ice. 

“You were right, Rex. He did have feelings for me. He kissed me and I wasn’t expecting it and he acted as if nothing had happened between us when I loved him and ack!” Ahsoka rambled, getting frustrated. 

“Ahsoka, he kissed you?” Rex asked, trying his best to stay calm. Ahsoka blew out the air she had been holding in. 

“Yes, he did. And then I yelled at him. He should know better. I’m a Jedi. I can’t form attachments or be with anyone. That’s what I told him, at least. We both know I don’t follow that rule here.” Ahsoka gave Rex a small smile. He sighed, pulling her into a hug. 

“Did you at least punch his kriffing face?” Rex asked. Ahsoka giggled, shaking her head. “Shame. Maybe we can add in hand-to-hand combat as part of our curriculum.”

The next day as they were training, Lux kept his distance from Ahsoka, which she appreciated. Rex made sure to give him more trouble than necessary, and offered anyone wanting hand-to-hand combat practice a half hour training session with him. 

Anakin and Obi-Wan left after the first two weeks of training, having made sure Ahsoka would be alright on her own should trouble come. 

“I’m not going to be alone. I have Rex, remember?” Anakin and Obi-Wan looked between each other, trying to decide who was going to tell them.

“Snips, Rex is needed elsewhere, and it seems to be that Onderon is progressing just fine. The Council will allow you to stay another three weeks to finish out the rotation, but you will be the only one here,” Anakin explained, anxious for her response.

“But I need him!” Ahsoka cried, her hands beginning to shake. She couldn’t leave Rex. He couldn’t leave her. She needed him!

“I know, Snips, but the Council doesn’t know that, nor would they take lightly if they found out that you needed him. Don’t let you attachment to him cloud your judgement in what must be done,” Anakin pointed out. He made a good point. Perhaps she had become a bit too dependent on Rex. But he hadn’t been doing very well lately, either. The welt on his forehead was still a small bruise. 

Ahsoka nodded, sighing. They then discussed what Ahsoka’s role would be the next few weeks, and what she would be doing on the planet. For the most part, Ahsoka was there only to help aid in any planning they were going to do. It was not a war she had to fight, so she wasn’t going to, no matter how hard it would be. 

Ahsoka was grateful she wouldn’t be fighting. She was starting to tire easily. She was now almost half way through her pregnancy. Ahsoka had switched from her normal tight battle clothing to a more Jedi-like robe combination. It was easier for her to hide her slowly swelling stomach. Ahsoka was also to go to the doctor on Coruscant again when she arrived back. 

The Onderonians were smart and had a lot of fight in them. Saw and Steela, especially. Ahsoka soon became friends with Steela. They shared the same lifestyle, but on opposites sides of the war at times. They were both thrust into the war at a very young age and have known nothing but fighting the past six years. 

Saw and Lux fought a lot, but there was an understood trust amongst them. Ahsoka found that Lux had feelings for Steela, and she couldn’t help but wonder if their kiss had only happened because he was drunk that night. Steela and Lux would spend most of their evenings in the mess hall, sharing stories and glasses of whiskey together. Ahsoka went to get some food late one evening and walked in on them kissing. She merely slipped out of the hall and went to bed.

Seeing them together made her miss Rex. She was able to better on her own than she thought. Nightmares would come, yes. But Ahsoka would simply pull out the picture from Kiros and she would remember the bliss they shared on that beautiful planet. When her hands would begin to shake, Ahsoka would remind herself that she was, for the most part, safe. 

When the battle that Lux and his men fought was well planned but poorly executed. That is why and how Steela ended up dead and Ahsoka ended up shot. But in the end the death and injuries were worth it because Onderon was now back under the control of their king. Lux Bonteri would be the Senator and he would make sure that they joined the Republic, not the Separatists. 

When it was all over, Anakin and Obi-Wan came back to Onderon for the funeral of Steela and for the celebration of Onderon’s freedom. Ahsoka had done her best for so long to keep her emotions in check. But when Anakin fussed over her, trying to find out how she was shot, Ahsoka lost all control of her emotions. They were back on the _Resolute_ , going back to Coruscant for one day then heading out yet again to the Outer Rim. 

“It was so hard, Anakin. To be strong when everyone else was falling apart. But I had to stay strong. And I did. I’m healing, Anakin,” Ahsoka said, a smile on her face, with tears also streaming. 

“You’ve done well, young one. We are both very proud of you,” Obi-Wan replied, a proud look on his face. His expression shifted. “I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of Steela. She seemed to be bright and strong young woman. She will be missed by many.”

“She was so brave and knew what she was getting in to. She was ready to die if need be. I will certainly miss her,” Ahsoka acknowledged. Her heart felt heavy thinking about her new friend. 

“We can discuss this more, later, Snips. I believe that there is someone who has been waiting to see you,” Anakin sighed, giving her a small wink as she left the conference room. “Oh! He might be in the medbay. Probably waiting for you.”

Ahsoka bowed to her masters, then rushed to the medbay. When she arrived, there were a few men in bactatanks and about twenty men that were in beds. Rex was talking with Kix and one of the men in the beds. He looked up at the sound of someone entering, and did a double take. A soft smile stretched across his face and Ahsoka couldn’t help but giggle. Ahsoka made her way across the medbay to where he was standing and Rex couldn’t help but pull her into a big hug. 

It wasn’t as if they had gone weeks without seeing each other before. They had, many times. But it felt different now. The distance felt further and the time apart felt longer. When Ahsoka was in Rex’s arms, she was home again. She breathed in his familiar scent and listened to his strong heartbeat. Rex gave her one big squeeze, and she grimaced slightly as it hurt her shoulder that was shot. Ahsoka pulled away to look at him.

“Hey, Captain,” she smirked.

“Hello, Commander,” he greeted, the smile on his face growing slightly. 

“Commander, please tell me you are here for that shoulder wound? General Skywalker told me to hunt you down if you didn’t come in soon,” Kix snarked, not looking up from the datapad in his hand. 

“Shoulder wound?” Rex asked, the smile leaving his face and a scowl replacing it. 

“I was shot, nothing too horrible,” Ahsoka explained. 

“I’ll be the judge of that. Alright, Commander. Sit on this bed for me and take off the cloak.” Kix patted the bed to his left. Ahsoka took off her cloak and Rex looked down to see her stomach that was getting bigger all the time. Then to her left shoulder that had been shot. It looked like it had an infection starting, and Kix began gathering materials. 

Kix was normally pretty gentle when it came to Ahsoka and medical treatment. But this time seemed to hurt a lot more than normal. The clone medic stuck a few fingers in the wound to make sure nothing was in there. He did find a small piece of shrapnel. Ahsoka didn’t realize she had been hit with anything. 

“I’m going to have to sew this would up otherwise it won’t heal properly, Commander. It’s not serious enough to warrant a bacta patch, and we are running low. Would you like me to numb the area first or just go in?” Kix asked, pulling out his suture kit. Ahsoka swallowed thickly. 

“I’ll be fine without numbing. Just go in,” she replied, giving him a fake smile. Kix shrugged and got to work. After the first stitch, Ahsoka’s reflexes grabbed Rex’s hand. Rex didn’t mind and let her squeeze as hard as she wanted. Kix looked at them and snorted to himself. They really were not good at hiding anything.

“Commander, is there anything else you need to disclose with me? Togrutans are pretty tough, so I’m a little concerned at the amount of pain you seemed to be in? Any conditions that have developed that might have impacted that?” Kix asked, eyes shifting down slightly to her stomach. 

Ahsoka put her cloak back on very quickly. “No, Kix. I think I am good. Nothing else. Thanks for stitching me back up. Anything else?” She asked, getting up to leave. 

“Take one of these pills every day for the next week and the infection should leave. Normally I don’t prescribe anything, but these are trying times with low supplies. Now get out of my medley before I put you two to work!” Kix shouted. 

Ahsoka and Rex left together. The tension between them rose as they walked in silence back to Ahsoka’s room. She didn’t have any briefings until tomorrow morning, so she was free to do whatever she wanted. Ahsoka opened her door to her quarters and Rex followed. Once the door was closed, Rex pulled her into a kiss. It had been so long since he had been able to do so. 

He missed her. Her laughter. Her smile. Her lips. Her taste. Everything about her. Rex needed her like a fish needed water. And now she was here, in his arms again. Rex never wanted to let go ever again. He deepened the kiss and Ahsoka moved even closer to him. 

“Rex,” she sighed into his mouth. Rex’s heart soared at the sound of his name on her lips. He wanted to bottle the sound of her saying his name so he could hear it whenever she was away. 

The spent most of the evening together, kissing each other and holding each other like both had longed to since separation. Rex had been on a planet called Helexum fighting for their freedom from the Seppies. It had been an easy fight, but the planet was colder than anywhere he had been. The only way he kept himself warm was remembering how it felt to have Ahsoka wrapped around him.

“I missed you so much, cyare. I know it was only three weeks and we’ve been apart for longer, but everything feels different now that I’m fighting to come back to you,” Rex whispered into Ahsoka’s temple as they laid together on her bunk.

“You’re such a romantic, Rex. That is something I definitely was not expecting,” Ahsoka teased. “But you’re right. We’ve been apart for months before, but now. Now it feels different.” 

They laid together for the next few hours before it was time for Rex to go to his own barracks. On the ship they weren’t able to spend time together like they did on Coruscant. But once they returned, Rex would likely move back to the barracks. The Council was able to get rid of the bounty on Ahsoka’s head. When the time came for Rex to leave, both of them received a comm message from Anakin.   
“Come to the bridge. Change of plans. We are not going to Coruscant.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends! I'm on spring break so I'm going to have time to write up a bunch!   
> Also, I have a Tumblr if you'd like to follow @heyoh-its-abbyoh  
> My updating schedule will likely be every Wednesday/Thursday. Happy reading!


	9. Voracium Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka is in charge of a dangerous mission that could either help the Republic immensely, or destroy a planet.

“We are not going to Coruscant,” was the message that Ahsoka and Rex ended their evening with. They both rushed to put their armor on so they could quickly get to the bridge and prepare for whatever would be coming soon. As they got dressed, Ahsoka noticed a small red mark on Rex’s neck. Kriff. 

“Rex, how far up does your armor cover your neck?” Ahsoka asked, getting nervous. She ran a thumb over the red mark that she must have given him. It was just above where his shoulder connected to his neck. 

“Kriff, Ahsoka. Where is it?” Rex asked, looking in the small mirror on the wall. He sighed in relief seeing where it was. “The armor will cover it, don’t worry. Stars, Ahsoka we need to be more careful.” 

Rex continued to put on his armor, laughing at the thought of going to a meeting with Generals Skywalker and Kenobi, Cody, and Ahsoka with a hickey on his neck. Cody would never let him live it down. The death stares that he would get from the Generals were enough to stop Rex from his laughter. Ahsoka teased that if Rex didn’t hurry, he’d get another red mark somewhere else.   
“Fortunately for you, I’m done. Hand me my helmet. I don’t think I can look Anakin in the eye right now,” Rex joked, grabbing the helmet from her. Ahsoka merely rolled her eyes and they left to go to the bridge. They joked the entire way to there, but their mirth was quickly squashed when they saw the looks on Anakin and Obi-Wan’s face. 

“Ahsoka, Rex, we are not going back to Coruscant for some time, it looks like. The Republic and the Council has decided the 501st and the 212th divisions will be leading a campaign on a planet called Voracium. For the entirety of the war, Voracium has tried to maintain neutrality. But with the Separatists now trying to take over the planet, they have asked for the Republic’s help removing the Separatists from their planet,” Anakin explained. Ahsoka could tell there was something else that he hadn’t told them yet. Obi-Wan would be the one to deliver the blow. 

“The Voracians are gentle people. They have requested that the casualties that occur on their planet remain on the planet. Any clones we lose stay on Voracium after the battle is over. Separatists are building a droid factory close to the planet’s core. We need to dismantle the power centers of the factory without damaging the core. If we damage the core, all life on the planet could die. Or, the planet will implode,” Obi-Wan continued, the grim look on his face growing with each sentence. 

Rex thought about what he was being told. It was a lot to take in. They had to do this mission exactly right or else thousands, if not millions of people would be killed. He looked over to where Cody was standing. As per usual, he had a calm, stoic expression. Ahsoka had her eyes closed, as if she was grimacing. Rex knew her, though. She was in some kind of pain. Whether it was physical or emotional, he couldn’t tell. 

“So what you are saying is that this could be a potential suicide mission if we don’t do it right?” Ahsoka asked, eyes opening. Anakin sighed. 

“Cody and Rex will be selecting half a company each to accompany you to the core where you will deactivate the power centers. As much as I hate it, you know power grids much better than I or Obi-Wan do. You seem to know how to do the mechanical part of those much quicker. We need both Cody and Rex with you incase you or one of them are incapacitated to make sure the power centers are finished.” Anakin gave Ahsoka a look that Rex couldn’t quite decipher. He assumed they were communicating through the force. 

_“Snips, I need to know that you can do this. Are you ready to do something of this level again? We are counting on you,”_ Anakin sent through the Force. Ahsoka looked to Rex, then back to Anakin. She nodded. 

“Rex, Cody, go put together a company between both of your men. I need the best in all aspects. Once you have them ready, meet Ahsoka and me in the main hangar,” Anakin continued. “As you were, men.”

Rex and Cody saluted the Generals and left to go get their men together. The brothers walked in silence for a few moments before Cody decided he better ask before he burst. 

“Rex, vod’ika, what is going on between you and Commander Tano? You two came in together and from what Kix told me, you two had quite the greeting in the medbay,” Cody rushed out. Rex stopped in his tracks, looking at Cody. 

“What are you implying, Cody?” Rex asked, hesitantly. 

“Look, it’s not my business because she’s not my CO, but if you two are doing anything you know you can get in huge trouble, right? You don’t have to tell me anything, but if the Generals were to find out one of the clones were with a Jedi, there would be hell to pay,” Cody rambled as they stopped in the hallway. Rex motioned for Cody to follow him and they went into a small conference room that was just a few halls away. Rex locked the door to make sure they wouldn’t be disturbed. Cody raised an eyebrow. 

“Commander Tano and I are-” Rex paused, unsure what to call themselves. “We are involved. Romantically. I love her, Cody. More than anything.”

Cody took in this information and attempted to process it. Love. What a thing for a clone to claim. Cody wasn’t sure how to respond. He maybe expected that they were fooling around and it was purely physical between them. But for Rex to claim that he was in love Ahsoka Tano, well, there was a first for everything.

“Well, Rex old boy, does she love you?” Cody asked, grabbing his little brother’s shoulder. Rex’s face broke into a large, ridiculous grin. 

“Yes,” he laughed. “She does. Brother, the General’s know and they’re okay with it.” Suddenly Rex’s expression grew serious. “Ahsoka has been through so much recently. She was a slave and it wasn’t easy for her at all. There have been some very lasting repercussions for what happened on Zygerria. And Umbarra, kriff Cody, I almost had to kill a Jedi. If there is anything this blasted war and being with Ahsoka has taught me is that we all deserve some kriffing happiness once in awhile. Ahsoka is my happiness, Cody.”

Cody was taken aback by what Rex had said. He hadn’t realized how much the other clone cared for Ahsoka. Cody could understand why. She was kind and very brave. But now that Cody thought about it, she had seemed a little worse for wear the past few months. Rex suddenly laughed, breaking Cody from his thoughts. 

“That mission to Kiros was nothing but a big party. I had to dance, brother. It was awful. But my partner, well,” Rex took off his chest plate quickly and grabbed a small picture from the inner pocket of his blacks. “My partner made the entire night worth it.” 

Rex handed the picture to Cody, who for once broke his stoic manner and smiled. After looking at it for just a moment, he handed the picture back. Cody couldn’t imagine Rex being such a softy, but now he had physical proof. He couldn’t say he was surprised, Rex was always the one comforting the terrified shinnies in the barracks after grueling campaign. Rex and Cody were some of the oldest clones that had survived that far into the war. And he can’t say that he would be surprised that he fell in love with Commander Tano. She was very beautiful, especially in that photo.

“If something were to happen to her, Cody, I’m not sure what I would do,” Rex sighed, putting the photo away and putting his armor back on. “Well, we better go get our men before General Skywalker wonders what happened to us. I know who I’m taking, what about you?” 

“Only the best from the 212th, Rexy,” Cody smirked, clapping his friend’s shoulder. Rex did the same. 

“And only the best from the 501st, brother,” Rex laughed. The two clones gathered up their men from each battalion and then met Anakin back in the hangar. 

Anakin and Ahsoka were waiting for them by a set of chairs and a holoprojector. Ahsoka’s arms were crossed, a frown on her face. It looked to be as if her and Anakin had just finished arguing. Anakin was standing angled away from her. Rex would have to ask about what this tiff was about later. He hated when his Commander and General argued because it made things more difficult within their battalion.

Ahsoka started the briefing. Anakin seemed to be still pouting over whatever the argument was and stood off to the side. His arms were crossed, and the longer Ahsoka talked, the more Rex realized that it was because of her plan that he was so upset. Her plan lasted several weeks instead of being a one and done mission. The planet’s core went through cycles of when it would be the strongest versus when it would be weakest. Ahsoka believed that if they went to the power center when the core was at its weakest, it could damage the core and cause the planet to be damaged. If they attacked the power center when it was at its strongest, they would have a better chance at saving the planet as well. 

Anakin felt like spending extra time on the planet was a greater risk, but he had to admit that she was likely right. Ahsoka knew more about planet cores and their cycles than he did, so he needed to trust her a little more this time. Besides, she was the one technically leading this mission. 

The part that Anakin really didn’t like was how they were going to get the power center. It was located in the middle of the plant, and Ahsoka and her team needed to get through as stealthily as possible. But there was only one way in that they could see on the scans: through the front entrance. Ahsoka would be entering the only way she knew how. By blasting her way in.

“Unless any of you have an even better idea, that is all I have for you. We will be using this device,” Ahsoka held up small black scanner. “To keep track of the power of the core. We will sit through one cycle then attack at the height of the second. Any questions?” 

None of the clones knew what to say. No one was very excited at the prospect of sitting on planet for Force knows how long before they would even be able to attack. But they were smart enough to know that if Ahsoka had any other ideas, she would have shared them. Rex knew that Ahsoka didn’t want to endanger her men anymore than she had to. He didn’t doubt that this was their best option. 

Ahsoka looked absolutely exhausted while she had been presenting. They hadn’t been able to track how far along her pregnancy was because they were not sure time on different planets impacted the pregnancy. Rex wanted nothing more than to lay her down and let her sleep for hours on end. Give her a kiss on her forehead and hold her while she slept. But the war waits for no one, and so they must continue on.

After their briefing, Ahsoka stuck around to make sure everything was ready for the mission. She looked through the files and the maps of the planets multiple times before packing up and taking it to an office off of the hangar. Anakin watched her leave but didn’t follow her out. He went to Rex, who was checking supplies in the hangar, and told him to follow her. 

“She’s going to hurt herself if she doesn’t go to bed. She looks absolutely exhausted from Onderon. Between getting shot and the baby, I need her to rest. She won’t listen to me, but she will to you.” Anakin patted Rex’s shoulder than said he was going to make a call to someone on Coruscant (also known as calling Padmé).

Rex asked one of the droids that was in the hallway where Commander Tano had gone, and they directed him to a small office just a few halls away. He knocked on the door a few times before a small “Come in” came from inside. Rex smiled to himself, knowing that Ahsoka was on the verge of falling asleep with how soft her voice was. He knew she’d be leaning on her arm, staring at a holotab, head nodding. Then, she would realize she was falling asleep and would force herself to wake up.

“Commander, I was sent by the General to escort you to your quarters to make sure you go to bed,” Rex stated, keeping a rigid stance, like he was talking to any other general. Ahsoka laughed a little. 

“Is that so? Those were the General’s exact words? Escort me to my quarters?” She teased, yawning. Looking at her holotab, the time showed it was already into what would be a new standard rotation. Time in space was weird. 

“Well, not quite his exact words, sir,” Rex admitted, losing the stiff posture to try and coax Ahsoka to leave. He took the holotab away from her and sat down on the table she was working at. Taking her hand, he slowly began to massage the tension out of it. Once he was done with her hand, he massaged her forearms, which were always tight from lightsaber usage, then her upper arms. At this point, Ahsoka was starting to melt under his touch. Rex moved to rub her shoulders and she let out a content sigh. 

“Rex, I’m going to fall asleep right here if you’re not careful. Let me at least fall apart in my own bed,” Ahsoka grumbled, getting up to go to her quarters. Rex chuckled under his breath. 

“I think you might fall asleep going back to the rooms. Let me carry you, cyare,” Rex whispered to her, running a gentle hand down a lekku. Ahsoka tried to mumble something out, but she was too tired protest when Rex picked her up, one under her neck, the other behind her knees. She nestles herself into his chest, breathing in the smell of him. It had been so long since she had been able to breathe him in like this. Three weeks was a long time on Onderon. 

As Rex walked down the hallways, clones from both the 501st and the 212th raised eyebrows and gave each other looks as the fearless Togrutan Commander was being carried by the grumpy Clone Captain. Ahsoka had fallen asleep rather easily in Rex’s arms, and she wasn’t very heavy to him. When he arrived to her quarters, pushed the code in and the door whooshed open. 

Rex laid Ahsoka down on her bunk, taking off her boots and minimal armor. Ahsoka had woken up slightly at the change in position. To help ease her back into sleep, Rex massaged her shoulders and back before moving to her hips and legs. In any other situation, his motions would have been sensual. But not that night. He wasn’t doing it for that reason. Rex wanted her to be relaxed. It helped her sleep and it helped the baby. 

Ahsoka told Rex that she had gone to a doctor on Onderon, just to see if there was anything wrong with the baby. She felt it move during one of the training sessions, and didn’t know that babies moved. The doctor on Onderon told her that her pregnancy was further along than the Coruscanti doctor had thought. The baby would likely come in three months. She was leaning towards the baby being more Togrutan than human. 

Rex worried that the baby would come sooner than anyone expected. When he found out Ahsoka was pregnant, he read close to thirty books on the holotab about pregnancy. He read one where the baby came almost four months early because the mother had endured large amounts of stress. Ahsoka was enduring large amounts stress just by being in the war. Leading this mission? Well, he prayed that the Force would be kind to her just once. Rex gave Ahsoka a kiss on her forehead before pulling the blanket up to her chin and setting a handful of alarms for her.

“Goodnight, my love. I’ll see you when we land.”

When they did land, Ahsoka looked refreshed and more alert than she did the day before. Anakin allowed her to sleep for almost a full rotation before they landed to make sure she would be ready to go. She appreciated the sleep. She also appreciated how Rex had made sure she was relaxed and had worked out so many of her sore muscles for her. Ahsoka decided she would need to return the favor at some point. 

“Alright Snips, it’s time to head out. The men are waiting for you in the hangar,” Anakin sighed. He wasn’t sure this was a good idea. 

“Thank you, Master. I know you’re worried about the mission and me and everything, but I have a feeling it will be okay. Trust me, Anakin. Trust in the Force,” Ahsoka countered. She gave his shoulder a squeeze before Anakin pulled her into a hug. 

“I trust you, Ahsoka. Be careful, please. I need you back in one piece.” Anakin let her go, then shoved her in the direction of the transport the mixed company would be taking. As he watched her leave, Anakin couldn’t help but feel a heaviness in his chest that something was going to go wrong. He would need to talk to Obi-Wan about these feelings. 

Ahsoka was the last to get on the transport. There was an open spot by Rex, and so she squeezed in to the spot and gave him a nervous smile. His helmet was on, but he nodded at her. Ahsoka was quiet the whole ride down to the planet. The men were boisterous as usual, but Ahsoka wanted her feeling of calm to stay with her. She could tell it wouldn’t be there for long. 

They landed on Voracium, and Ahsoka was expecting there to trees and other life like the planet description had mentioned. But there was anything but. Ahsoka stepped off the transport and about thirty meters away, some type of explosive was activated and threw the transport abut thirty meters backwards. In the blow, Ahsoka flew back and hit her head, knocking her unconscious. 

When Rex made sure he was stable, he looked around, searching for Ahsoka. He found her a few meters away, laying limply on the ground. Rex ripped off his helmet so he could look at her with fresh eyes. His heart began to pound and a feeling of dread settled in his chest. 

He pulled her into his arms, ignoring the looks he was probably getting from the rest of the company. He could not lose her. Rex didn’t know what he would do if this was how it ended. 

“Don’t do this Ahsoka, don’t do this. I need you to wake up. Wake up, please!” Rex whispered, panicked, making sure she was still breathing. Ear against her chest, her heartbeat was still strong, which made Rex relax slightly. Kix ran over as well, taking Ahsoka from Rex’s arms and laying her flat on the ground. 

“Never move someone when they’re unconscious. She could have a spinal injury and you could have made it worse,” Kix sneered at Rex. Rex knew that, but yet he had still done it.

Kix put something underneath her nose and she breathed in the scent of it which woke her up. Ahsoka flailed, scooting away from the clones and igniting a lightsaber. Her breathing was harsh and her fangs were showing. 

“Ahsoka, it’s me. You’re safe. Put away the sabers,” Rex called out, putting his hands up in a mock surrender. Once she realized it was her men, Ahsoka deactivated the saber, apologizing. 

“What happened?” She asked, not fully remembering. Kix had her sit down and started to shine a small flashlight in her eyes to make sure she didn’t have a concussion. 

“You stepped off the ship and a bomb exploded about thirty meters away from where we landed. No one was hurt. These buckets keep our thick skulls pretty safe,” Kix explained. Ahsoka nodded, rubbing the back of her head. It was a little sore. 

“Do we know if it was the Seppies or the locals?” She asked, grabbing her bag from where it fallen. 

“We can’t find any lifeforms in the area, but there were a few clankers that looked like they had been damaged in the blast. Commander, I recommend we do a perimeter search to make sure there are no other bombs in this area before we continue on,” Cody chimed in. He looked over at Rex who still looked a bit shaken after Ahsoka getting hurt. 

“Perfect. I agree. Cody, Waxer, and Tup, you search the eastern perimeter going about forty klicks out. Fives, Echo, and Jesse, you search the western perimeter, same distance. Kix, Rex, and I will make sure everyone else is okay and see if I can fix the shuttle at all,” Ahsoka commanded. The men gave a salute and they went on their separate ways. 

“Rex seemed a little more concerned about the Commander than usual, don’t ya think?” Jesse commented as they started their perimeter search. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jesse. Rex is always overly concerned about her. Plus, the Commander has been through a lot lately. Don’t forget she was shot just about two weeks ago. I don’t blame him for making sure she’s alright,” Fives countered, knowing the real reason behind Rex’s concern. 

“I guess you’re right.” That seemed to appease Jesse’s curiosity for the time being. 

Back at the shuttle, Ahsoka was using the Force to get the shuttle upright again. Kix warned her she might not be as strong as she was before the hit, but she wanted to try anyway. Once it was upright, Ahsoka went inside the cockpit to make sure the wiring was alright. 

Outside of the shuttle, Rex and Kix were distributing medical supplies for any injuries the men might have endured. Only a few were injured, which was good. Rex kept looking over at where Ahsoka was working, and saw that she had suddenly bent over, her face contorted in pain. 

“Ahsoka! Are you okay?” Rex asked, bursting into the cockpit. Ahsoka looked up from where she was bent over. A few beads of sweat were on her brow bone. 

“Yeah, I’m fine Rex. Just a little baby pain. Doctor said it would be normal. Nothing to worry about. It’ll pass in a moment,” She hissed out, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter than normal. After another moment, the pain in her belly and back subsided.

“The shuttle looks to be mostly in working condition. I think I might have used the Force unknowingly to slow the impact of the bomb on the shuttle. Just not on myself. Because of it’s two moons, we’ll need to set up camp soon-” Ahsoka was interrupted by Rex pulling her into a tight hug, giving her a kiss on her forehead. 

“I thought I lost you, Ahsoka. Don’t make me think that again.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, shawty! Another chapter!


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